Funny you would mention this, because I've heard this spot several times and had no idea what it was for. It's a very bad commercial when you can't understand what they're selling. Like you, it took me several listens to hear the word "Optimum" and only then did I realize what it was. 

But even then, I'm still not sure exactly what the message is. 

The audio and words are garbled and almost indecipherable. If that was their intent, they achieved it.

If not, it's a waste of money.  

Saul wrote:

Maybe the more people know about the cards, the less inclined they'll be to use them. Optimum cards at Loblaws are pretty much useless for the shopper - very few items qualify for very meagre points - and you're just essentially doing their market research for them. I think the card might possibly be somewhat more useful at Shoppers.

I've refused to have one for years simply because I don't want Loblaws having my information. My privacy is worth more to me than just a few cents off some groceries, but to each his own.

RadioAaron wrote:

Believe it or not, it's actually for Esso, who I assume are now participating in the Optimum program.. And no, I wouldn't have known that from just hearing the spot.

 
Thanks RadioAaron, I’ll give it a better listening to thr next time it airs!

RadioAaron wrote:

Believe it or not, it's actually for Esso, who I assume are now participating in the Optimum program.. And no, I wouldn't have known that from just hearing the spot.

I just heard it and had to really concentrate to make out Esso in the first sentence. And I could barely hear it. No one is listening to a spot that closely. What a terrible ad.

newsguy1 wrote:

I still can"t figure out what organization that dismal ad about children and cancer is.
And I am confused about part of the ad that talks about bills coming in that the parents can't pay for cencer treatment.
What bills?
Is this an American ad that's wrongly being played here?
 

Imagine you heard a radio commercial so annoying that you can't stand to listen to it even once. 
Now imagine that it keeps replaying over and over and over.
Now imagine that they're telling you to imagine something awful again and again and again.
Now imagine you actually listened to the entire thing. 

I've never made it to that last one. And I don't think I ever will. Imagine!

Two things about this Esso spot - I believe it only runs 15 secs., which makes it very rare on radio. Also, I happened to hear it on an FM station and the lyrics seemed much clearer than they do on AM, where it's almost indecipherable. 

Shorty Wave wrote:

So I have noticed that the “odd commercial” I posted about here must have been remixed, possibly re-recorded as I can now clearly hear the vocals, even on the old radio in my garage. So obviously we weren’t the only ones who thought the messaging was lost due to a substandard mix. Has anyone else noticed this change?

Yes, I've noticed - but I still can't make out the second line. Remix or not, I think this is a terrible spot. You shouldn't have to concentrate on it - which no one does - to get the message. I'm glad it's only 15 secs. 

I heard that remixed Esso spot again this morning and it's much clearer. It's an unusual radio commerical, though, because it's so short. The entire thing lasts about 15 secs. Which makes me wonder - why aren't there more of these? When this ad comes on, I'm not constantly reaching for the dial, because I know it will be over before I can even get there.

It's been a long time since a radio spot hasn't annoyed me. I'm sure it doesn't bring in as much revenue - do stations even have that short a spot on their rate cards? - but I'd like to hear more of them. (Or should that be less of them?) The shorter the commercial, the more I'm likely not to flee somewhere else.

The only drawback from a listener standpoint is making it sound like more clutter on air, and that's not something any station wants to encourage. Yet it's a trend I'd like to hear more of. It's the first 15 second sponsor I think I've heard in decades, outside of those "the weather is brought to you by" live reads CFRB does on its morning show. But those aren't pre-produced messages.

No matter what else you can say about its effectiveness, it's refreshing for that reason - more like a jingle than a spot. Because sometimes less really is more. 

I haven't heard that Esso commercial that started this thread in a while and it may have run its course. But now there's a new one out there and I have absolutely no idea what it's for or what they're talking about. Some woman is singing with a full chorus about something I can't quite make out - I believe it could be for borrowing money. 

But what she's belting out and the name of the app? company? business? is totally obscured by a bad mix and the loud music. 

This seems to be the new big thing for radio ads. And it's great, if you can make out what they're saying. If not, it's 30 secs. of cluttered warbling and a complete waste of money. Hopefully, they can remix this one just like they did the earlier Esso example so at least you can make out these words from our sponsor. Has anyone else heard this yet?

g121 wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

Saul wrote:

Maybe the more people know about the cards, the less inclined they'll be to use them. Optimum cards at Loblaws are pretty much useless for the shopper - very few items qualify for very meagre points - and you're just essentially doing their market research for them. I think the card might possibly be somewhat more useful at Shoppers.

I've refused to have one for years simply because I don't want Loblaws having my information. My privacy is worth more to me than just a few cents off some groceries, but to each his own.

a few cents? ... 

for my household of two:

Points earned since 2018:
7,946,356 - that's $7,946

You guys must buy a lot of stuff! Even if that total is true, I'm not interested in giving them my information. As I noted, to each his own. 

At least 'Burt Ward, Robin from TV's Batman's ubiquitous dog food ads seem to have mercifully come to an end.  After hearing it hundreds of times, I still have no clue what it was called, or what she 'sang' in that garbled jingle, other than something 'for life'.

RadioActive wrote:

g121 wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

I've refused to have one for years simply because I don't want Loblaws having my information. My privacy is worth more to me than just a few cents off some groceries, but to each his own.

a few cents? ... 

for my household of two:

Points earned since 2018:
7,946,356 - that's $7,946

You guys must buy a lot of stuff! Even if that total is true, I'm not interested in giving them my information. As I noted, to each his own. 

You silly fool. No I do not buy a lot of stuff. (That's a Costco thing, lol) 
I just know how to shop. (Shopper's drug mart gives out a lot more points than Loblaws)
I am one person and I cashed in 50 thousand points on a bonus day that got me 65 thousand points worth of cash in. That's $65 in free groceries.
One little secret: You are allowed to drop by a PC mobile store and say hello. 
They take two seconds to tell you you are already on the best plan and they don't see any reason to change anything.  1000 points just for doing that every 3 months.  If you are due for a new phone, they have anywhere from 25 thousand to 200 thousand points (plus the 1000 just for dropping by) depending on the phone you choose. 
That's a lot of points eh? 
Now, if we were talking about that silly pathetic point system that Rexall has, I'd see your point a lot more clearly...a cent or two with them. lol
 

Radiowiz wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

g121 wrote:

a few cents? ... 

for my household of two:

You guys must buy a lot of stuff! Even if that total is true, I'm not interested in giving them my information. As I noted, to each his own. 

You silly fool. No I do not buy a lot of stuff. (That's a Costco thing, lol) 
I just know how to shop. (Shopper's drug mart gives out a lot more points than Loblaws)
I am one person and I cashed in 50 thousand points on a bonus day that got me 65 thousand points worth of cash in. That's $65 in free groceries.
One little secret: You are allowed to drop by a PC mobile store and say hello. 
They take two seconds to tell you you are already on the best plan and they don't see any reason to change anything.  1000 points just for doing that every 3 months.  If you are due for a new phone, they have anywhere from 25 thousand to 200 thousand points (plus the 1000 just for dropping by) depending on the phone you choose. 
That's a lot of points eh? 
Now, if we were talking about that silly pathetic point system that Rexall has, I'd see your point a lot more clearly...a cent or two with them. lol
 

That's your choice and you're more than entitled to make it. My privacy is more valuable to me than any "points" system, regardless of cost. It's not "foolish." It's a personal choice and I've made mine. It takes some fortitude to turn down that bribe - er, money. It may cost me but I sleep better at night knowing the folks at Loblaw's et al don't have access to even more of my personal information, which they can then use to target me with ads I don't want. 

Besides, not having all those point cards from all those stores makes my wallet thinner!  

RadioActive wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

You guys must buy a lot of stuff! Even if that total is true, I'm not interested in giving them my information. As I noted, to each his own. 

You silly fool. No I do not buy a lot of stuff. (That's a Costco thing, lol) 
I just know how to shop. (Shopper's drug mart gives out a lot more points than Loblaws)
I am one person and I cashed in 50 thousand points on a bonus day that got me 65 thousand points worth of cash in. That's $65 in free groceries.
One little secret: You are allowed to drop by a PC mobile store and say hello. 
They take two seconds to tell you you are already on the best plan and they don't see any reason to change anything.  1000 points just for doing that every 3 months.  If you are due for a new phone, they have anywhere from 25 thousand to 200 thousand points (plus the 1000 just for dropping by) depending on the phone you choose. 
That's a lot of points eh? 
Now, if we were talking about that silly pathetic point system that Rexall has, I'd see your point a lot more clearly...a cent or two with them. lol
 

Besides, not having all those point cards from all those stores makes my wallet thinner!  

I'm sorry, I don't recall mentioning any good point system outside of PC Optimum. 
The new Blue card might be good  (replacing Air Miles) but I'm not convinced yet. 
I just threw my Rexall Be well card in the garbage. I also won't be shopping there very often.
Crazy high prices, very bad point system. 
It's too bad too because my phone could probably hold all those cards in the form of apps... 

g121 wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

My privacy is more valuable to me .. 

curious ..  do you totally avoid Amazon as well?

Speaking about privacy .. I did have some hesitancy about the CAA MyPace car insurance as you have to install a little device to record your travel.  But I drive so little these days, I was very intrigued about the pay-by-kilometre car insurance concept.  So I gave it a whirl, I could always cancel if it bugged me too much.

End result .. within a week, it was no big deal.  Why care that CAA knows I went to Home Depot.  I live mid-town Toronto & my car insurance is now less than $500/year .. A-OK with me : )) .. 

p.s. my previous insurer was Scottish & York.  When I phoned to give them chance to complete, the agent was blunt: "We can't come closer to competing with the CAA MyPace program."
 

I had this same concern with MyPace but I actually agreed to try it, since my home and car insurance are both with CAA and I'm a member, and they already know about me. The experiment lasted all of about two days. The dongle drained my relatively new car battery twice, forcing me to call CAA (ironically) to recharge it. Clearly I could not let that continue. So I went back to the old policy. No problems since. Too bad, since the savings were significant, but I need to know my car will start when I need it. 

That's probably the one time I voluntarily tried something that invaded my privacy. As it turns out, it was not meant to be. 

And yes I do occasionally use Amazon, but sparingly (haven't bought a thing from them or signed in for over a year) and I ignore all the "recommended for you" garbage that follows. I know what I want, I get it, I sign out and I'm done.

RadioActive wrote:

I had this same concern with MyPace .. The dongle drained my relatively new car battery twice .. Too bad, since the savings were significant, but I need to know my car will start when I need it.

I had same concern since I drive so little.  So this little "trickle charger" solar panel is on my front dash.  Got the cable wove thru my glove box to the battery.  Works like a charm; I've had this setup for years.

& .. just to be safe .. I have this tiny little booster in my car .. have used it once & it also worked like charm lickety split : )) ..