After the South Park "Sh*t" episode, it was only a matter of time.

[Atman]

Cussing/curse words/swearing -- call it what you will, but the coarsening of our culture continues as "foul language" seems to be finding its way into more and more television commercials, once the hallmark of overly-cautious prudishness. In an ad touting BMW's new onboard email-to-voice system, an off-camera wife, via the onboard computer, asks her husband "Honey, where the f**k are you going?" A well-timed horn honk covers up the f bomb. Now Samuel L. Jackson tells us that your new credit card will give you cash back "every damn time."

Let me be clear, I'm not trying to play language cop, and I'm sure if Mr. Jackson and I were to be conversing the wallpaper would likely peel. I'm not shocked, just slightly surprised. As a life-long marketing and ad guy it has always been the goal to try not to offend even one potential customer. Edgy, sure, but even in this era of unfiltered communications, there are still lots of people who don't like what our parents might have called "gutter language."

I few days ago I posted about cartoon bears with dingleberries telling us we should "enjoy the go." So I suppose it's only natural that advertisers just say a figurative "f**k it!" and decide it's no longer hip to be square. Time marches on, and I admit that I'd probably be more bummed -- er, upset -- to see us reverting to a more Victorian mindset instead.

Meanwhile, I'm grabbing my popcorn and waiting for Charmin to hire Eric Cartman as a celebrity pitchman yelling "We all gotta shit! Now get me some Charmin, bitch!"

[monmouth3]

1. Mom always told me that bad language (cursing) was the sign of a lack of vocabulary...n/t

[KoKo]

3. +1

[lame54]

4. she was wrong

[Atman]

6. I agree, she was wrong.

Shakespeare used quite a bit of foul language. Many great writers have chosen the words which they feel best expresses the moods, situations, times they are trying to convey. Ultimately, words are just a series of letters strung together, and while, if used maliciously and with forethought to cause harm or pain, that is one thing. But so it a table lamp...it provides light, but clonk someone over the head with it and it has a whole different "meaning."

[Drale]

41. I've found that

there is a time and a place for "curse words" and people who use them constantly in everyday situations look and sound less intelligent.

[Atman]

45. I don't disagree with that.

We had an acquaintance (friend of a friend) several years back, and we had to finally tell our hosts that we could hang around if he was a regular guest. Every other word was and f-bomb, followed by an insulting term towards women, blacks, whatever...he couldn't complete a sentence about CHURCH without dropping half-a-dozen f-bombs.

I don't mind "colorful" language, but when there is no real language, just a string of foul-mouthed hatred, I do draw the line.

[HappyMe]

7. I agree.

Just because a person may toss out a curse word, that doesn't make them stupid or illiterate.

[WinkyDink]

28. Wrong there, but I say it's a lack of imagination.

[lame54]

48. wrong again

[rbixby]

67. I agree

Sometimes the appropriate response to something is "That's fucking bullshit"

[Codeine]

8. I have a voluminous vocabulary,

one which includes a variety of delightfully colorful, gutter-quality vulgarities.

[Jackpine Radical]

29. Wull, sheeeeit--

I noes summadem big woids two.

[Purrfessor]

59. Ha! My go-to word to express displeasure. But just so my kids couldn't

complain that I was swearing, I now pronounce it without the vowel: sht. Not technically a bad word now.

[DetlefK]

11. +1

[Myrina]

14. Actually there was a study published not too long ago that indicated that swearers

... are more creative, honest and generally smarter than those who are more ... linquistically uninspired
Will google for a link.

[WinkyDink]

31. Please do. I'm ex-Jeopardy, honest, and pretty creative verbally---and don't swear.

At least, I eschew the Anglo-Saxon variety.

[Atman]

38. But you use the word "eschew."

Whenever I use the word, people tend to give me a puzzled look and say "God bless you."

[MADem]

53. Hey, don't eschew with yer mouth open!!!!

[Myrina]

40. To wit, I don't think anyone said one must be a swearer to be intelligent, honest & creative ....

or vice versa .... there are exceptions to every pattern, yes?


Still looking ... my employer's network blocks alot of (what it deems questionable) sites & search terms so I may have to do this from home later this evening.

[Blue_Tires]

42. Your mom can go **** *** a ****** with her own ***** ***** ****!

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

It's a big deal for me - I was very irritated when I realized that even the BBC had ditched "indices" for "indexes", which may be a sign that I'm a bit nuts.

Unfortunately we must be a tiny minority.

[enlightenment]

5. You're not.

But we are an increasingly small minority. It's a shame that the quest for "real life" seems to be reducing civil society to rubble so that all the "real" people can stand around grunting and scratching themselves.

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. "indexes" is one of those things that makes me wince, slightly.

Along with "the data/media is" (should be "are", because it's plural, dammit...and that's pronounced "dayta", not "datta", because it's Latin), "forums" and "stadiums" instead of "fora" and "stadia"...this is probably thanks to four years of Latin as much as anything though.

[Egalitarian Thug]

44. Irregardless of your feelings...

....I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist.

[joeglow3]

9. Advertisement of the Future

[img][/img]

[KurtNYC]

34. from the documentary of the future

[joeglow3]

39. "Fuck You. I'm Eating!"

Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

[KurtNYC]

47. IQs are already down 14 points since the Victorian era

http://redalertpolitics.com/2013/05/24/idiocracy-on-the-way-new-study-finds/

Now pass the Carl's Jr Big Ass Fries!

[Atman]

49. The future is near...

[Bluenorthwest]

10. The information that you are from marketing and ads and have an ear for language

and how others might perceive that language really puts your work on DU in a new light.

[Atman]

24. I'm not sure what that means. I suspect it was not meant as a compliment.

Especially after the beat-down I took yesterday!

[panader0]

12. How about the K Mart "ship your pants" ad?

#t=30

[RagAss]

15. Great Ad !

[sharp_stick]

20. Don't Forget K Marts Big Gas Savings

[trumad]

13. Sheeeeeeeit

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. While we're on the subject of The Wire and cursing.....

NSFW.....obviously.

[Codeine]

22. Best scene ever from the best show ever. nt

[trumad]

37. one of the great great scenes of all time.

I miss the Wire. Truly great televison.

[msanthrope]

52. Awesome scene from a great show. I'd raise a scene from "Deadwood"

I truly fear the jury results on that.

[zappaman]

70. Fucking love that scene!

And fucking loved the show!

[tridim]

17. I love my cuss words, but the S.L. Jackson commercial kind of shocked me.

I think it's the first commercial to use an un-bleeped "damn" in television history.

IMO television should reflect reality, and the reality is lots of people cuss ALL THE TIME. Dammit.

[Atman]

25. Considering it was SL Jackson, it didn't quite reflect "reality."

LOL! I think if he ad-libbed it, it might have been a bit more harsh!

[snooper2]

19. In the other thread you said, "maybe I'm getting old, but"

Well, you are LOL


and I leave you with ---

[Atman]

30. My "old" reference was to recalling advertising history, not my attitudes.

I still have to write and use cultural references that appeal to younger demographics. I still snowboard, play beach volleyball and surf...heck, I'm not THAT old. But I am old enough to remember the outrage when Platex was allowed to show real live women in their underwear to advertise bras and panties. SHOCKING! As if no one had ever seen a woman in a bra and panties the size of spinnaker. Just sayin', or admitting, that while I'm only 54, a lot has changed since the TV turned off at 11:00 with The National Anthem blaring. I'm an observer of culture. Decline or evolution is totally subjective.

[gopiscrap]

21. that's just part of it

[Thirties Child]

23. Times do change. And attitudes.

I saw GWTW for the first time, I think in 1942, maybe 1943, when I was 8, saw it thereafter each time it was re-released. Always, the audience would give a nervous titter when Rhett Butler said, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" to Scarlet O'Hara.

We were so innocent then. Or prudish.

[WinkyDink]

27. Not even Victorians were truly "prudish."

[Atman]

33. Few ever were. Heck, the men wore dresses and people engaged in all sorts of kinky daliances

Much like the moralistic preachers of today...they rail on in public, while behind the podium their trousers are around their knees. Same shit, different era.

[WinkyDink]

26. Liberals are fond of claiming "words are just words," until they speak of "the 'N' word, among other

taboos.

IOW: Hypocrisy knows no bounds on this topic.

[Atman]

36. I've learned my lesson on that one!

I posted something about this very subject a couple of years back. That language and words are not necessarily bad, depending upon their context. I mention the word you had to truncate, and the outrage was amazing. I didn't call anyone "that word," I brought up (as with the dingleberry bears or the cussing) as a cultural reference/observation. I was duly locked down, shut up, multiple alerts, fainting, birds falling from the sky.

You're spot on.

[Vashta Nerada]

32. I would love to see foul language on tv.

I'm tired of the prudes who don't like it (the FCC).

Fuck.

[Sheldon Cooper]

35. As a new convert to Breaking Bad, I have to say that the lack of foul language

in that show does not detract in the least from the power of the drama. Considering their career choice, you'd think it would be littered with profanity and vulgarity, but it's not.(Although Jesse's favorite word is bitch, which he uses liberally.)

I think AMC allowed them only one f-bomb per season, but even aside from that, there aren't that many shits, damns, pissed offs, etc.

It's odd how clean the show is, language wise, compared to the level of violence that is portrayed. They don't really show much sex either, now that I'm thinking about it. Hmmm.

[Atman]

43. I love the show "Shameless." But it wouldn't be realistic without the foul language.

Sure, it gets over the top at times...but that's the point...their lives are over the top (or under the gutter). Having them saying "gosh" and "darnit" would totally detract from the experience, kind of like when trying to watch an R-rated movie on Comedy Central and entire sentences are just eliminated...not even bleeped, just silenced, as if the viewer doesn't realize the actor is saying "Fuck that!" That's the point of words being just words. The situation and emotions dictate, and to freak out over the WORD used just seems kind of silly.

[L0oniX]

46. Fuck fucking fuckup fucked fuckers ....FFS

[KurtNYC]

50. As a marketing and ad guy, surely you have heard the maxim: "speak back to the customer in language

the customer uses" ?

It doesn't even have to make sense. They have done it for decades. In early 1970s, world peace was a pop issue. World peace + Coca-cola =

So people of all creeds can unite with some caffeinated soft drinks and form a giant Christmas tree. Absolute nonsense yet Coke, which loses in blind taste tests to Pepsi, has been number one in sales since they began.

Currently, we have the same culture vulture stuff but it is based on a culture which dislikes perceived elitism.

[Atman]

54. Oh, I've course I understand that...

Which is why the Dingleberry Bears are on the air. The 1% is NOT Charmin's/Northern's, whomever's customer. To these people, TP is just always on the spool, probably with a neat triangular crease on the hanging-over-top lead edge. These companies are going for the Walmart shopper who is there to buy a 36-pack of TP for $6 along with a $49 copy of "Call of Duty 19."

I must admit, the Samuel L. Jackson ad kind of surprises me...I'm not sure who their customer is. "Snakes On A Plane" viewers are probably not first in line for "cash back rewards" on a premium credit card. I admit, I think the ad works because of who SLJ is, but ONLY because of that. I can't otherwise figure out who the target is. But this bad-ass says "DAMN!" in an advertisement. So it's "cutting edge." I guess.

[KurtNYC]

57. credit card companies like people who don't pay off the balance

but on the profanity, perhaps it is harder than ever to have any impact with an ad? The "Old Spice" campaign was a total acid trip but seemed designed make you go WTF? I see many more ads like that now. They remind me of the Saturday morning cereal ads of yesteryear but these are aimed at young adults.

[musiclawyer]

51. It's also cultural

Swearing is used endearingly in a lot of Latin American nations. A Russian lady I know also said the sand thing about swearing in her homeland

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. Fuck crossed the line

Damn not really

[Brigid]

56. A little over a week ago,

There was a thread which featured Ted Cruz's head extended into a penis. I rolled my eyes, thought it was stupid, and forgot about it. Then, a few minutes later, I got called for jury duty. That's right -- it was that thread. I called the thread juvenile and stupid, and voted to hide. There was some giggling over my juror comment, but hey -- they asked. Or the alerter and the jury system did, anyway. This society really is getting more and more crude all the time.

[Iggo]

58. Wah.

[Atman]

60. Thank you for your contribution to the discussion

[Iggo]

64. Fuckin A.

[Egnever]

61. Oh I don't know

This is my favorite commercial so far.

I hate commercials with a passion. Maybe it's because most of them are boring and bland. The poopori commercial I linked above is the first commercial I have actually paid any attention to in years.

It is definitely coarse as you say but it's funny and I remember it which is more than I can say for thousands of other commercials I have seen.

[Atman]

62. My mind has officially been blown.

That was absolutely priceless!

[Egnever]

63. Awesome isn't it?

Couldn't believe it was a real commercial the first time I saw it.

[Atman]

65. BTW, speaking of commercials...

I thought this was a bid over-the-top when I first saw it, but now I think it is one of the funniest damned ads going...

The Kayak brain surgeon commercial. The dialogue and the "acting" are hysterical. And they don't have to cuss or wipe their asses or wear uplifting bras.

[cry baby]

66. I enjoyed your post and your take on this.

I agree with you.

[LanternWaste]

68. 'Profanity, Obscenity and the Media: The Language of Journalism' by Melvin Lasky is a wonderful reso

'Profanity, Obscenity and the Media: The Language of Journalism' by Melvin Lasky is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the use of contemporary profanity in modern pop and media cultures.

However, as his conclusions would be less than well-received by the current users of said profanity, it may be better for one to read it themselves with as open a mind as can be mustered.

[Laelth]

69. It's a sign of democratization.

The language is homogenizing across the culture.

-Laelth