The first time I sat down to watch French television I was:
1. dissapointed (I couldn't understand a damn thing back then)
2. surprised by the sexual inuendo in the most random commercials.
Yes, the French take ‘sex sells’ to a whole new level. Whereas it’s usually reserved for pop stars and prime time television in the U.S. -here sex is used to sell every day products, like….milk.
One of the first commercials I saw when I arrived here consisted of a couple of cute adolescents rolling around in the grass, making out. Why?
Because they drank milk, ofcourse!
Duh.
Makes sense.
Then there’s coffee. One of my favorites are the Carte Noir commercials. Basically they all feature a young man and woman who have sexual fantasies whenever they sit down at a café. (There must be a name for this condition) Their bodies might be drinking java. But their minds are doing all sorts of unseemly things.
Basically we follow a sugar cube as it rolls down a naked women’s body. Then she plops it into her coffee. (I know. I had to be reassured by my French friends that it wasn’t common practice to rub a sugar cube on your body and then serve it to your guests)
But the most weirdest I’ve seen recently are for insurance. A couple of people with dog faces (yes, they actually have dog faces digitally animated in place of their real heads. Don’t ask me why) are about to get busy. Sometimes it’s in a car. Or a bed. And then they’re interrupted by a man with a bear face selling them insurance.
Yeah. I don’t get it either. It's like a bad dream.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
*CQG*
47 comments:
That cracks me up! I guess France doesn't have a Puritan background like America does!
I'm curious to hear what the French do when it comes to feminine products. If they can make tampons sexy, color me impressed!
You couldn't understand a damn thing...to funny!
I've watched some of those French commercials. Yikes....I think Spain's are pretty racy, too.
you are so right, sex must sell because it seems like American commercials have gotten a lot more provocative in recent years.
For some reason I want a cup of coffee with milk and sugar, hmmmm?
Heck, I'd drink coffee if that commerical came true for me. ;)
that cafe noire commercial actually made me laugh.
i wonder what an excess of these soft porn style commercials do to the national psyche?
-- Tom
I never realized coffee, sugar, and insurance were so sexy/creepy. That insurance commercial sounds too ridiculously awesome to be true :)
Interesting post. I'm with you, the dog faced people and the bear would freak me out! I'm going to have to google that. =)
Have a great weekend!
The dog faces being hounded by a bear-faced insurance man sounds like something Hitchcock would film for a dream or Dali would paint. Absorbing post, Roland
Darn I'm at work and can't view the sexy ad!!
I must try that sugar trick next time I have a dinner party! LOL!
take care
x
Funny how humor doesn't exactly translate, lol. But sex always does!
Ah, tis tame stuff - have you checked out the gameshows on Itlaian television? - you know - the ones where the contestants have to take their clothes off and the girl who brings on the prizes flashes her boobs at the camera?
;-)
I'm having a sudden craving for coffee, sugar... and insurance.
(That's some effective marketing right there.)
French tv is amazing. Wow. Seriously, I'm speechless. :)
Oh. My. Godiva. I can't believe that commercial. Do they come on all the time or just at night? I guess isn't as racy a subject as it is here stateside.
That commercial is too much! And I need to see this insurance one to believe it...
I love all your French posts! I have never been to France and they give me such fun insight into the French way of living.
Lol! I hear you on this one! TV in Europe is waaay more *interesting* than here. Even in Turkey, which I would never have imagined, we had that Italian game show and plenty of other...stuff. Although, we're catching up here in the US! I need some coffee...;)
LOL! sounds like Greece. You might find this funny: Prime time weather report - Porn Style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FjaEjxAtR8&feature=related
Sex definitely sells in France! I argue with my French hubby all the time about this. Why do we have to see the woman from the waist up in the shower, suds dripping off her nipples, in the shampoo ad? Why do we have to see a naked woman roll around in the snow, then sit up and lick yogurt off her spoon while simulating an orgasm. (Note to Yoplait: Ick.)
I've saw the insurance commercial last summer when we were over there. Random!
Have a great weekend!
Sex: The universal language of ... sex.
Gotta love those Europeans!
Oh how funny! I love watching that yearly special on TBS, I think, the best commercials of the year! They always have some great foreign ones!
Yes, sex does sell. I hope you have a great weekend too!
Great examples! Thanks for sharing. I agree, that dog face one seems disturbing.
As for using sex to sell, the French might still have us on using sexual acts in commercials, but the US uses sex appeal for most of its commercials anymore.
Thank you for not posting that dog face one. Ugh. I know that sex sells but that is taking it a little too far!
UMM dog heads and bear faces? What is the point of that???
The french must really enjoy their sex....
LOL. Gotta love the french!
Wow... I don't even like the smell of coffee but I'd be willing to add a few cups to my diet if it would give me cleavage like that!
I remember being in England and almost falling off my chair reading a Cosmopolitan magazine...naked boobs, erotic articles. I had to put it down because I felt like I was doing something bad! I guess we're just prudes here in America!
Oh, that's so very...French. But the doggy/bear people? Don't get it. I guess it shows how subjective humor is, and how it often doesn't translate--not simply in terms of language.
I never watched TV when I was in France, except for a couple concerts on the music channels. But I did see some of those commercials that made me scratch my head and think, "why?"
French television sounds awesome... if you're doing LSD.
omg--LOL!!! *sigh* I wish I didn't have a milk allergy now... but I love coffee...
and I'm thinking maybe nightmare WAS the point of the insurance commercial--? b/c it could scare you to death? Life insurance? (shrugs) ;o) <3
One sure hopes sex sells as it is my bread and butter. Just learned today that someone painstakingly translated my novel The Sound Of her Master's Voice into French, so hopefully the word is around about it by the time it goes for broader publication.
It's good to know that it seems a universal that everyone is interested in sexy in advertising.
_Master Vyle
These posts on French culture are so fascinating! If my lifetime dream ever comes true and I actually get to visit one day, I'm going to use this blog as a guide book. :)
Wow. Yes, because when I drink milk, I instantly feel the urge to cavort on a lawn. That's a bit weird. And the insurance commercial just sounds creepy.
Umm. Those commercials sound truly creepy... the dog faced ones...buuuhhh...
Hmmmmm. I'm wondering if I can get my satellite dish to pick up french television??
:)
If the repressed cultures get really kinky in their underground clubs, do the French have back-ally clube to play checkers?
damnit, I totally missed out on the joy of French TV when I was in Paris. sounds pretty nuts though.
That must be some GOOD coffee!! Wow!
Dog faces to sell insurance? I'm missing something here...
Man. Apparently I need to be drinking that coffee instead of Folgers.
I love it! Don't quite understand the connection, but that's one way to keep most of your audience from running to the bathroom. Do your commercials run every 10-15 mins? Seems to me someone told me once they run all the commercials in between shows in Europe.
Too funny! Maybe two people with dog faces about to have sex in a car really DO need insurance from a bear.
This post was too funny!
Thanks for the giggles. I needed that!
Doesn't France have fruit roll ups in the shapes of penises? If they don't already, I bet they will now! You're welcome, France!
Let's do it. Let's bring sexy back! Justin Timberlake doesn't count. And if sex sells, my francophile fridays have been tame. Good thing I'm no longer writing middle grade...
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