While watching the Alabama Crimson Tide tackle the Texas Longhorns in the 2009 BCS National Championship game, I found myself more engaged with the commercials than with the program they were sponsoring. That’s not unusual for me because I love advertisements.
What made enjoying the commercials more challenging was that the party hosts muted the television during every game break. I find this behavior amusing, and, as an advertising professional, a bit disturbing. But what are you going to do?
As a new installment in the Bud Light “Drinkability” campaign began, I uttered, “I love this commercial.” One party guest turned to the television and said he liked the commercial, too. That drew the attention of a few others. We laughed softly as the Paintball “Too Heavy” air attack ensued. After the two combatants clinked bottles and the winner raised his walkie-talkie, I parroted his last command, “Call off the tanks.” Several people chuckled. The gentleman who first paid me attention turned and asked, “Is that what he says?”
“Call off the tanks” is probably spreading across the continents as the latest catch phrase. If you hear it, write a Comment describing when, where and under what circumstances it was used.
