Shields down and taking damage

It wasn't intentional, but it seems that Natalie and I have removed most sources of advertising in our lives. We've been without television for over a year and mostly listen to the CBC (Radio One and Three, but Two on occasion).

It's becoming a problem. Just ask Tony.

The scene is pretty much the same: we're up at Tony's watching pre-recorded Battlestar Galactica or Heroes. Even if we're watching the same day as airing, we'll start watching half an hour later so it can record on the fly and we can skip through all the commercials.

"Whoa... Whoa! What are you doing?!"

"Fast forwarding to the reason we're watching TV in my living room," says Tony (actually, he's just stopped answering now).

"No, no. Go back. Was that a new Doritoes commercial?" Or new movie trailer, or a new Dove commercial, or a new station identification, whatever.

Not only are we starting to pine for commercials, but I'm feeling hyper-aware of them. It use to be just because I was a geek about that kind of thing, but now it's because I just can't get enough marketing.

Market to me! I want your ads! I am the target market you've been dreaming of!

Oh, and here's another unfortunate side effect: we seem to have lost our marketing resistance. Remember that Doritoes commercial? Yeah, well now we're part of the Doritoes Tandoori Sizzler fan club! And it wasn't because we happened to see the chips while we were on a normal shopping trip. While driving home on Monday night at 10 o'clock, we found ourselves going out of our way to get to a Safeway and grab an armful of Tandoori Sizzler and Spicy Curry Lays (also new with advertising).

Oh, and did you know it's Roll up the Rim (RutR as the kids call it) season at Tim Horton's? I never use to care about that and suddenly I'm stricken with the daily urge for a medium mocha with whip and a honey cruller. But their marketing is so good... I mean, it's "rrroll up the rim"--such a brilliant campaign. Give me a call and we can talk about the democratic brilliance that is Canadian coffee marketing.

I am so weak...

Now how about that cruller...