swimmers in commercials

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 17:42:02 GMT

Public Schools a joke, surely you jest (oh wait I live in Oregon where they were asking some teachers to work for free or even cut days off the school calendar to help balance the budget due to fiscal changes, even Gary Trudeau of Doonsbury poked fun of Oregon). In regards to the commercial and how realistic is it - my experience as a high school swim and water polo coach is that the sport is not as pure and innocent as we would like to think. I am not saying that all high school swimmers are addicts but the swim team members is a represantation of society so you are more than likely to get someone who hhas or is using a substance. In regards to using real swimmers in commercials, I was an extra in a McDonalds commercial and they used some real swimmers - Pablo Morales, Carolyn Steinseifer and Nancy Hogshead.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 14:40:05 GMT

Speaking of swimmers in commercials, I'm sure we have all seen the Encyte spot that has "Bob" swimming at the party. I have always wondered if these types of drugs would be helpful in Masters Swimming or create to much drag!;) I'm sorry. I tried to keep this as g-rated as possible:D

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 09:16:09 GMT

Originally posted by tjburk You know what the best part of this is? Achieving the end result! They did exactly what they intended.....got is all talking about their products! Then when we go to the store and look for merchandise....their name sticks in our mind....and we are more likely to buy that product!!! Actually, I've seen just about all of the commercials that you guys are talking about,. and I couldn't name one of the products. (Not untill I start reading the posts) I did notice the swimmers though.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 06:48:49 GMT

You know what the best part of this is? Achieving the end result! They did exactly what they intended.....got is all talking about their products! Then when we go to the store and look for merchandise....their name sticks in our mind....and we are more likely to buy that product!!! As far as the school thing goes.....if the schools are that bad in your area...take charge and do something about it...instead of complaing about it. We ARE the majority..the elected ARE the minority. Believe it or not everbody but the President of the United States is elected by the masses....that's US!!!!

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Sun, 08 Feb 2004 14:00:54 GMT

Originally posted by aquageek cinc - not sure anyone is stereotyping CA kids. Not sure where you got that from. Also, where do you get your facts that the majority of CA kids are hispanic. Seems to me you are the one stereotyping, since more kids allegedly have to avoid gangs than drugs. If people didn't look at 'sterotyping and generalizations' as truths, perhaps they wouldn't see them so upsetting. One can't make statements and conclusions based on sterotypes, and then expect them to given any more than an anecdotal entertainment value. Personally, it's somewhat entertaining to see how people stereotype things, but I don't make value judgements or important decisions based on stereotypes. Unless of course you're doing market research in preparation for a tTV commercial shoot, in which case sterotyping your target audience may come in very handy. You actually have a chance to appeal to a slightly larger percentage of the target audience. Perhaps that's why the swimmers in commercials have less then flawless thechnique... Apealing to the 250+milion of americans who can't swim 500Y, rather than the few hundred thousand (I'm guessing here USA swimming and Masters combined?) who can. I know - I know, nice try tying it back into the topic. :p I bet it's more like, that people making the commercials just didn't have clue, or didn't care. ;)

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Sun, 08 Feb 2004 13:44:39 GMT

Originally posted by Michael Heather Much as we would all like to think that the drug commercials are directed at the children imperiled by the easy acquisition of controlled substances, they are not. They are a stark and graphic reminder of what we, as parents, will witness if we abrogate our duties to our children and society in raising those children. Public school systems have become a joke, acting little more than a child care system, rewarding children for feeling good about themselves, rather than actually learning something that will matter for the rest of their lives. And this has come to pass because we, the parents, have not lived up to our jobs to provide the atmosphere at home that rewards thinking and creation with challenges and hard won praise. Maybe we are too busy tracking practice times or rushing off to the next meet. I know this is kind of a downer, and I have traveled off topic, but how critical is it to stay focused on this one? Hi Mike, I like your post! Sort of the Legacy of the "ME" generation, isn't it? No, we can't have it all, there are choices to be made. But seriously, how can you expect parents who have trouble understanding that healthy self esteem comes from doing a good job, making sacrifices and right choices, rather than from 'having it all' or a quick gratification... How can you expect they will teach that to their children. Kind of sad. heh, you got me started on a pet peeve topic now! And no, I don't think it's the responsibility of the schools or the government to take over parental responsibilities. I did like it where I was raised, where there was still a lot more stigma in society about certain things, then it is here in the US, or at least in So. Cal. No, I don't have the solution for this, althought it does seem like for a job well done, you need a healthy set of parents, and the help of the 'village'. Without the parents, there is only so much the 'village' can do, and without the 'village' there is only so much parents can do. Okay, I'm off the soapbox for now

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Sun, 08 Feb 2004 13:26:50 GMT

I'm baffled with this discussion. Since when have we all started expecting that something on TV will be portrayed accurately??? :rolleyes: As for me, even though it's portrayed stylistyically, I'm glad that the IS swimming in commercials and on TV. Yeah, even if it's salt water, at least my glass is always half full. ;)

RE: swimmers in commercials

Michael Heather — Sun, 08 Feb 2004 12:23:39 GMT

Originally posted by aquageek: Many of us have long realized that what passes for normal or a joke, for that matter, in California is certainly not an accurate representation of what we see in other parts of the country, I couldn't imagine where she got the idea that it was OK to stereotype anything about California.

RE: swimmers in commercials

aquageek — Sun, 08 Feb 2004 10:13:49 GMT

cinc - not sure anyone is stereotyping CA kids. Not sure where you got that from. Also, where do you get your facts that the majority of CA kids are hispanic. Seems to me you are the one stereotyping, since more kids allegedly have to avoid gangs than drugs.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 16:46:00 GMT

Stop sterotying the kids in California. The LA area is not full of white upper-middle class stone surfers at the high school level. In fact, the largest populaton of students there are hispanic and some of their problems are even more serious like avoiding involvement with gangs.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 13:25:40 GMT

Allen, Living here in La La Land I get several requests per year as SPMA Chairman to supply swimmers for commercials. The agencies are trying to get good looking real swimmers for their comercials. So I usually send them to Michael Heather:D Actually a few years ago when SCAQ was part of the system, they had a team photo with dozens of individual photos and each persons occupation. About half listed actor/model. I remember Shannon was one. The commercial where the woman beats the man and gets the beer reminds me of one couple here who will race 200 back (Woman) versus 200 fly (man). I love watching them race. I guess loser does dishes:p

RE: swimmers in commercials

aquageek — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 12:46:39 GMT

Maybe in Pasadena, CA the public schools are a "joke." But, please don't lump all public schools into the same category as what you see in California. Many of us have long realized that what passes for normal or a joke, for that matter, in California is certainly not an accurate representation of what we see in other parts of the country, where schooling and parenting are taken more seriously.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Michael Heather — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 07:52:46 GMT

The implied message in the relay commercial is that you not only are doing something that is destructive (in terms of the user's life), but you are failing to live up to your responsibilities as a constructive participant in society (you let down your teammates). A little too refined and circumspect for the audience that it apparently targets. And the implication that someone who is so wasted on drugs would be able to train enough and be trusted to swim a leg of a relay team is a stretch, too. The old eggs in the frying pan commercial is much more direct, succinct, and graphic.

RE: swimmers in commercials

aquageek — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 03:59:03 GMT

knelson - there is a commercial by the same group where the basketball player gets thrown off the team for using drugs. One might also assume that if you decided to get stoned and miss your swim meet, you would probably also get kicked off. Seems to be a case of splitting hairs.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Kevin in MD — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 01:59:40 GMT

The beer commercial and every Bally's commercial I have ever seen they don't wear goggles. You don't to hire some attractive model who can swim passably and then put goggles on them so they look dorky err ummm unconventionally atractive. We all look *unconventionally attractive* with our goggles on. Anyway same idea with people swimming with their heads out of the water, or the prevalence of fly and breastroke. Can't see those beautiful faces.

RE: swimmers in commercials

knelson — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 01:21:04 GMT

Originally posted by aquageek Seems quite realistic to me. You do drugs, you ge thrown off your team. Most high schools drug test student-athletes so, as a matter of fact, you are quite wrong. No, the commercial isn't implying the swimmer was kicked off the team. The commercial is implying the swimmer missed her event because she was getting high out in the parking lot or wherever. The relay team is behind the blocks ready to go, but their fourth member is missing. If the message of the commercial was "If you take drugs you risk getting thrown off your high school team" that would probably be a more effective message.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 17:29:45 GMT

Has anyone else noticed in that Anti-drug commercial with the relay swimmers, that it is a medley relay (so why are the swimmers up on the blocks ?). How about the old milk commercial with the butterfly swimmer (his last stroke in the commercial from what I have been told he jumped off the bottom of the pool). In regards to the nike commercials - they had the one titled move, where it was a montage of people and sports (starts off with a boy running down the street and continues to do quick cuts to other sports - there are several swimmers, a diver and triathletes used in that commercial - the commercials last few scenes is a diver hitting the water, bubbles, triathletes swimming exiting the water, getting on their bikes and then cutting to the boy from the beginning of the commercial running down the street). Hey at least the new nike swim suit catalogs are using real swimmers as models for their competition line of suits, for the 'fashion' suits they are using models unlike other swimwear companies.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 16:33:41 GMT

Well, at least the commercials are showing adults doing some swimming and believe me different people have different abilities. When you are swimming during laps, there is one younger woman that probably did high school swimming that does good form in all four strokes and their are others that can barely do freestyle.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 15:31:36 GMT

Hey Shaky, on the orignal version of MS Word, if you typed in "A**hole" and used then looked in the MS WORD thesaurus "Bill Gates" would be listed. Do you have any other Urban Legends to share?

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 15:24:43 GMT

Swimr4life mentioned the Nike commercial and reminded me of something Nike did a while back. They ran a commercial using Samburu tribesmen in Kenya wearing their shoes. At the end, one of the guys looked at the camera and rattled off something in his native language. Nike subtitled what he said as "Just do it." A college professor here in the US who teaches that language saw it and called his local media. The guy didn't say "Just do it." He said, "I don't want these. Give me big shoes." Nike admitted that they took liberties with the translation, believing that no one in the US would know what he said.

RE: swimmers in commercials

knelson — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 12:53:40 GMT

Originally posted by kaelonj Has anyone else noticed in that Anti-drug commercial with the relay swimmers, that it is a medley relay (so why are the swimmers up on the blocks ?) I didn't catch that! Everything else in the commercial looks fairly accurate (starter's commands and horn start). Everything except the whole premise of the commercial, that is, which I think is silly.

RE: swimmers in commercials

knelson — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 12:22:36 GMT

How about that anti-drug commercial where the relay swimmer doesn't show so her team misses their event? The implication is that the fourth swimmer is outside getting stoned. Yeah, that happens all the time:rolleyes:

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 10:15:35 GMT

Originally posted by lefty Do you have any other Urban Legends to share? www.snopes.com/.../nike.asp Maybe that should have been your name instead of Bill Gates.

RE: swimmers in commercials

Michael Heather — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 10:08:29 GMT

Much as we would all like to think that the drug commercials are directed at the children imperiled by the easy acquisition of controlled substances, they are not. They are a stark and graphic reminder of what we, as parents, will witness if we abrogate our duties to our children and society in raising those children. Public school systems have become a joke, acting little more than a child care system, rewarding children for feeling good about themselves, rather than actually learning something that will matter for the rest of their lives. And this has come to pass because we, the parents, have not lived up to our jobs to provide the atmosphere at home that rewards thinking and creation with challenges and hard won praise. Maybe we are too busy tracking practice times or rushing off to the next meet. I know this is kind of a downer, and I have traveled off topic, but how critical is it to stay focused on this one?

RE: swimmers in commercials

Former Member — Fri, 06 Feb 2004 09:10:31 GMT

There is a commercial playing in Tallahassee for the FSU Credit Union, (I wonder if it is FSU swimmers?) that goes something like, Its not the start but the finish. Shows a full heat of women going off the blocks then plays it backwards, the swimmers come out of the water and back onto the blocks and the voice over says something like no matter how you've styarted we will help you finish strong. I'm not terribly fond of it, so stupid looking.