Badminton Commercial in US

**azabaz_ipoh** · 05-03-2007, 10:20 PM

bad bad ad. kinda not funny. and yet i was nearly laughing when the shuttle impaled itself in the leg. but seriously, not funny.

**Pete LSD** · 05-03-2007, 10:27 PM

Or very bad humour on the part of Bob and Howard

.

Originally Posted by azabaz_ipoh

bad bad ad. kinda not funny. and yet i was nearly laughing when the shuttle impaled itself in the leg. but seriously, not funny.

**cooler** · 05-03-2007, 10:34 PM

i wonder if that commercial was made before or after US team won the MD WC title.

**azabaz_ipoh** · 05-03-2007, 10:45 PM

i wonder if that commercial was made before or after US team won the MD WC title.

message too short......

**Linus** · 05-03-2007, 11:07 PM

Seriously though, granted Bob and Howard may not know what the commercial was when they are being directed/play acting, but if they have a chance to look at the finished product, I donot think they will feel comfortable about it.

There are other ways to sell the Vitamin drinks using badminton, this ads just emphasize of the negatives (Bob and Howards being clumsy around the net, look how they duck the first shot) rather than the positives (the power, speed and reflexes) of any good MD matches.

Another interesting thought, if this is a American commercial targeting America market, why use badminton? Would it not be easier if they choose other popular sports such as basketballm, baseball or American football?

**jcr2001** · 05-04-2007, 12:16 AM

lol it is funny, but kinda degratory, like picking on a stereotype.

The director/directors don't even know the basic rules of badminton. If I was the professionals, I'd not approve of this... look at when he serves, the wrong party recieves it...

**IndoAmerican** · 05-04-2007, 12:28 AM

We, as badminton players, have the rights to be offensive to this bad-taste, amateur, off-color, off-the-wall, not-so-funny, and stupid commercial.

But again, if you examine the other Vitamin Water commercials, they are all pretty stupid. I do not believe badminton is singled-out since there are other sports were also used in other Vitamin Water commercials.

While we are offended, the advertizer has succesfully generated the reactions from the public for making fun of things - they want people to talk about the commercial and their product thus starting the name recognition... at our expense, of course.

**winstonchan** · 05-04-2007, 12:33 AM

oh dear oh dear... oh no, WTF was that?

one thing i like, i want to learn how to smash a shuttle to those I hate playing with

**General Foo** · 05-04-2007, 02:15 PM

WTF

That has really pissed me off

**ctjcad** · 05-04-2007, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by cooler

i wonder if that commercial was made before or after US team won the MD WC title.

...and i don't know if they were going to make it if Howard&Tony didn't win the WC..here's the related news: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...tnered=rss_bos

**prothobs** · 05-04-2007, 10:05 PM

I thought it was pretty funny. I think most people would understand that those two baseball players smashing the bird so hard is not possibe (we got to see Howard hit a jump smash and it looked pretty good). They're advertising a vitamin drink that is supposed to give you super strength and power... isn't it supposed to be ludicrus that those two guys are beating them - but they can do it because of the drink. Plus the setting was actually a badminton tournament setting... not in a field or backyard somewhere. I think we should be happy that it's being recognized like a real sport!

Lol... those two guys look so akward playing

Thanks for sharing the video

**Tsumaranai** · 05-04-2007, 10:32 PM

Wow.., no words can describe the lameness that this commercial embodies.

**chickenpoodle** · 05-04-2007, 10:50 PM

i thought it was pretty funny stuff. and i think a lot of people is just blowing it out of proportion.

heres how it goes.
this is a commercial made for americans.
the 05 WC put badminton in the spotlight really well.
a lot (not most, not all) of americans know who howard and bob is.
a lot (not most, not all) of americans know badminton isn't some joke sport.
coverage of 05 WC was real good.
take baseball players who would typically look awkward in badminton, imbue them with magical powers derived from vitamin water, and suddenly they have the power!!!

its an ad to promote sales of vitamin water.
its not an ad to demote the status of badminton.

lighten up.

**SystemicAnomaly** · 05-05-2007, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by ctjcad

...and i don't know if they were going to make it if Howard&Tony didn't win the WC..here's the related news:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...tnered=rss_bos

Agreed, it is doubtful that badminton would be featured in any US commercial if Howard B and Tony G hadn't put the US back on the badminton map. This (commercial) is actually a good thing.

For those of U who didnt try the link above, here is an excerpt:

Sox designated hitter David Ortiz took a ride to Estero, Fla., before Tuesday's game and filmed a commercial for Vitamin Water with star Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher...

Interestingly, part of the commercial involved playing some badminton. Let's just say that Ortiz isn't going to be trading in his big bat for a racket any time soon.

"Well, you know the thing is, when they hit it to you, it comes like 150 mph, for real," said Ortiz. "So they were telling me, 'OK, here it comes,' and they hit it and I still didn't get it."

The remark above was made by a pro baseball player. Successfully hitting a baseball is one of the toughest things to do in any sport -- a player who hits 1 out of every 3 or 4 times at bat is doing extremely well. (They often take 2 or more swings at the ball every time they come to bat).

So this really says something about his newfound respect for badminton.

...

**SystemicAnomaly** · 05-05-2007, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by chickenpoodle

i thought it was pretty funny stuff. and i think a lot of people is just blowing it out of proportion.

...

its an ad to promote sales of vitamin water.
its not an ad to demote the status of badminton.

lighten up.

Jeez guys, take a chill pill. Gotta agree with cp on this. Sensitive much?

I read some of the earlier comments before watching the vid & was expecting the worst. Can't really see what all the fuss is about.

Yes, it is kinda dumb = corny, but still somewhat amusing. Granted, it's not the best of the (often corny) Vitamin water ads -- for one that's a bit better, check out the Scottish games ad.

The fact that badminton is featured at all in a US commercial is progress. The US has not been a major player in the world badminton scene since the our glory years (the 1930s thru to the late 1960s).

I applaud Howard Bach for his accomplishments and his desire to promote the game of badminton in the US. Badminton on US TV is extremely rare. This is a positive step, not a negative one.

**wedgewenis** · 05-05-2007, 02:07 PM

The only way to counter crap like this is to put out your own message... or your own commercial.....

**cooler** · 05-05-2007, 02:22 PM

i dun want to sound prejudice but factually, in both commercials (badminton and sheep throwing), the heros were, in a politically correct term, african american. I guess these expensive vitamin sugared water are targeted to those audience...