Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

OK, So It’s Not Just Me

16 Comments

Even ignoring the fact that the bad guys on the Broadview Security commercials are the most caucasian male demographic outside of a Klan rally, I’ve always been particularly annoyed by the commercial with the miscreant “AJ.” It never made any sense to me. Apparently, someone else agrees.

And would Broadview really take that much heat if they at least once in a while implied that some break-in artists have more melanin in their skin? Can’t they at least be equal opportunity, if not actually corresponding to reality?

16 thoughts on “OK, So It’s Not Just Me”

  3. These commercials just demonstrate how hopelessly helpless you are in the situations being depicted. Noise and a curious guy on the other end of a phone will do nothing for you while you wait 20 or 30 minutes for the cops to show up. Bottom line: the woman should be reaching for her 9mm… not the telephone. Forget the alarm company, this is a great NRA ad.

  4. But Rand, the thing is, no black man could get into that neighborhood in the first place so the commercial’s accurate. When Broadview does it’s “ghetto special $99.95 deal”, they’ll use black actors.

  5. Yeah most rich neighborhood burglars are gonna be experienced individuals who are educated and skilled at defeating sophisticated security systems (and probably have worked for companies like Broadview Security so they understand how these systems work), or else they are similarly white teenagers looking to burglarize. Most minority criminals victimize other minorities.

    However, these ads typically portray someone doing a home invasion while the occupants are present. This sort of event is usually perpetrated by either a white stalker, a white serial killer (there are very few minority serial killers), or an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend who intends to cause personal harm to the individuals, not burgle their family jewels.

    The problem being is that the response time for these services to get someone on site is typically over 20 minutes, long enough for an intended murder, rapist, or domestic assailant to do what they need to do and get gone. The occupants wanting to feel safe in their home when they are home would do far better to get a big dog and a hand gun and learn how to use both in self defense.

  6. or else they are similarly white teenagers looking to burglarize

    Or looking for something else…

  7. Yes, it’s a stupid commercial.

    Does the commercial get people to buy it’s service? If so, nothing else matters.

    Fear is a very powerful sales motivator. An angry guy smashing glass may work for them.

    Great commercials are rare.

  8. I don’t understand really how these commercials sell security systems, when they really seem to be selling guns.

  10. It’s a damned shame gun ads aren’t allowed on television, because Smith & Wesson could create a devastatingly (heh) funny parody of these commercials.

  13. I guess my reaction to those commercials is typical then. Every time I see them I think the same thing, “she needs a gun, damn it!”. I mean the loud noise the alarm makes can be intimidating, but my guess is AJ would have been more intimidated by the sight of a large handgun and a determined look.

  14. Gun ads aren’t allowed on television? Sounds like Bill Ruger needs to sue to get his first amendment rights back.

  15. I mean the loud noise the alarm makes can be intimidating, but my guess is AJ would have been more intimidated by the sight of a large handgun and a determined look.

    If that doesn’t work, the rather louder noise the gun makes along with holes magically appearing in AJ, would probably be an adequate deterrent.

  16. The Broadview Security commercials have nothing on the DOT DUI commercials. 4 people pulled over – 4 white guys. Strangely – the NAACP is silent about the lack of minority representation in that federally funded commercial. (Unless I’ve missed something.)

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