ASFR reference in Citibank commercial

[keraptis]

Has anyone seen the Citibank commercials in which they hype the fraud protection features of their credit cards? Basically the idea is to show one person (the victim of credit card identity theft) lip-synching while another voice (the thief) tells the story of all the stuff they bought with that person's credit card. They have a middle-aged beer-drinking dude speaking in the voice of a ditzy mall-rat who's gone on a clothes shopping spree, a little old lady speaking in the voice of a guy who maxed out her cards buying stuff for himself, etc.

The latest commercial shows a very attractive young black woman as the victim, and when she speaks it's a stereotypically nerdy kid voice. You can almost hear the acne as he describes all the things he did with her card, like stock up on video games etc. And then, the punch line ... he says "And now I've got enough money to build my own robot." The woman pauses, leans in toward the camera as she raises her eyebrows conspiratorially, then says (in the nerd's voice), "My own GIRL robot."

I'm always fascinated when ASFR references creep into the mainstream, and the truth is the references are amazingly frequent. I've always believed that creators in the entertainment media are well aware that lots of people have an odd fascination with robots and are always looking for ways to "innocently" tap in to that undercurrent, just as they do with so many other fetishes. This commercial was perhaps a case in point in that we get to see a sexy woman saying (sort-of) the words "girl robot" ... there's no doubt in my mind that the director knows that's much more likely to grab the viewer's attention than having the old lady or the fat guy on the sofa say it.

[minkwheel]

TOTALLY AGREE! --there are always instances in a good many shows, ANIMATED especially, where it's easy to write in at least ONE ROBOT DOUBLE episode, or something with hypnosis and mind control ..... for a network standpoint, it's an easy way to deal with a story, because with the limited way violence can be shown for kid's shows ---i.e. HEROES CANNOT DIRECTLY USE FIREARMS OR WHATNOT on a human, or do ANYTHING THAT CAN BE COPIED by a child.....if an UNORGANIC SOURCE gets blown up or malfunctions onscreen, it's visual, and a 'SAFE KILL" .....so ROBOTS get a lot of screen time.....even the episodes that revolve around mind control get ASFR nods constantly....the bad guy gets his commupance at the end though as usual...in the imortal words of DAN QUAYLE, 'it's a terrible thing to lose one's mind" --minkwheel

[Sega-boy]

Has anyone seen the Citibank commercials in which they hype the fraud protection features of their credit cards?

I was wondering who was going to call attention to this.

I was going to, but was just too lazy.

Yes, I took particular notice of the woman (sort of) saying "girl robot''

Unfortunately, I was caught by surprise the first time I saw this commercial. I was watching Conan O'Brien with my brother, who I suspect knows about my obsession.

We were both studying the commercial to figure it out, and when it was finished, there was no discussion, just an uncomfortable silence between the two of us.

Possibly, I worry too much, however, at the time I was thinking- Like it or not: It's dropping into the mainstream.

....But in this commercial, not in a good way. After all, identity theft is the scare tactic of the month.

However, the next time I caught the commercial, I realized that the nerd is in high school because the woman also (sort of) mentions "best prom ever," making it humorous and not quite as cruel.

there's no doubt in my mind that the director knows that's much more likely to grab the viewer's attention than having the old lady or the fat guy on the sofa say it.

Actually, there is a second commercial with an old lady cleaning a pool and talking in male's voice with what I suppose is a rough New York accent.

It's humorous too, but frightful to say the least.
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[kb7rky]

I, too, noticed the reference, but I was just a little disturbed that they would choose to portray this in a negative fashion (i.e.: identity theft)

Our "obsession" may be coming into the mainstream, but I suspect, after Citibank's blitz on identity theft, it'll fade quickly back into the darkened shadows where things like this are spoken of in quiet whispers...

Or, at least, sent back to Hollyweird, where they refuse to make a decent gynoid-themed movie...



Doug

[Baron]

I, too, noticed the reference, but I was just a little disturbed that they would choose to portray this in a negative fashion (i.e.: identity theft)

Our "obsession" may be coming into the mainstream, but I suspect, after Citibank's blitz on identity theft, it'll fade quickly back into the darkened shadows where things like this are spoken of in quiet whispers...

Or, at least, sent back to Hollyweird, where they refuse to make a decent gynoid-themed movie...



Doug

Give them a break; their chimps are only up to "See Spot Run" at the moment.......