Most Annoying Advertisement Ever - Goodwrench

GM Goodwrench has been running a series of radio ads that have gotten progressively more and more annoying until I can’t contain myself anymore and have to vent. They’ve all featured a rock song in the background with the lyrics “I can’t stop thinking about it”. The song is annoying enough, as though I and other motorists just can’t get rid of the gleeful joy we feel about the mere thought of getting our cars serviced by a Goodwrench mechanic. But maybe that’s just me, seeing as how I own an Audi and dread taking it to get serviced because every time I do they find something wrong that costs $3,000 to fix.

But the latest ad features a perky guy (possibly Katie Couric’s brother) who not only “just can’t stop thinking about it” but who also insists that retail establishments keep their best products “in the back”. He smugly says “You know how when you go to your favorite store and you want the best stuff you always ask them what they’ve got in the back?” or something along those line (I can’t find an exact transcript anywhere).

Now I ask you, friendly reader, have you ever, ever, in your life gone into a store and asked the clerk what they’ve got in the back, perhaps while smiling and winking as it sounds like the fellow in this advertisement does? Has anyone out there ever seen a retailer hide their “best” merchandise in a back room? The only time I’ve ever asked a store clerk about what’s in the back is when they’ve been out of stock on something in the front or when I’ve been curious to see if the clerk has a mullet. I want to know who is coming up with this nonsense and getting paid tens of thousands of dollars for it because I want in on that gig.

Advertising is supposed to result in increase sales. Radio advertising does this by connecting with listeners…theoretically in a positive way, although now I’m starting to wonder. Could it be that the ad is purposely annoying? Perhaps that annoying song is telling the truth about my not being able to stop thinking about it, only not because I’m enthralled by the ad, but so turned off by it. Perhaps Goodwrench’s ad agency knows that any publicity is good publicity. It’s not working on me, but perhaps it works on others in some twisted way. Perhaps other people are driven to a state of mind close to insanity and the only cure they can think of is to go and get their car serviced at Goodwrench. If that’s the case, I have a different recommendation for you troubled souls–turn off the radio.