There's an odd commercial that play's regularly now that is rather surprising in a number of ways. It's for one of the phone companies and its family/circle calling plan, I forget which one, maybe Sprint? Anyway, a father of three young daughters comes home and one of the girls asks how his "Internet dating" is going.

First is the fact that this is one of the only commercials I've seen (maybe the only) where a father is unmarried (or is he?) and apparently dating. Second is the vaguely disturbing notion that he is describing to his daughters his adventures in dating (and who in turn describe it to their friends.) The third odd matter is one of observation: the three girls don't look much alike which leads me to wonder... how related are they? Was one of the spouses cheating or are the girls from previous marriages? Since we are supposed to feel sympathetic with the father does it quietly imply that the unseen wife was cheating? Is this why they are no longer together? At least the father gives the good advice "You don't have to tell everything to everyone."

There's alot to think about in one little phone service commercial.

-Doughdee222

"Fire me, boy!"

How about his closing line, in response to the news that one of his daughters' friends' relatives think he is adorable: "What does she look like?"

Yeah, dad tells his girls that dear old dad cares first about a woman's looks. That should keep them aiming high in school.

Point of fact, I think the daughter says it is her friend's Grandma who is interested in bagging her dad. Not for me to judge anyones octogenphilia, but you think the daughter would be creeped out.

Yeah, that last line does bother me, I had forgotten that. Great message from dad: looks come first.

-Doughdee222

This Just For Men commercial has the daughters encouraging the dad to date ("Dad, it's time."):

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I think perhaps the ad writers were big fans of Full House when it aired. The last line doesn't bother me so much--the teenagers would believe looks are a factor, and I can see Uncle Jesse saying the line--as the idea that one of the daughter's wants to set Dad up with her friend's grandmother. I actually did the math when this ad first came on--if the daughter is about 13, then friend must be the same age, and Grandma must then be around 53 or so if both mother and grandma had children at the youngest possible age of 20. Dad does look to be around that age. Yes, I have too much time on my hands.

doughdee222:

Yeah, that last line does bother me, I had forgotten that. Great message from dad: looks come first.

-Doughdee222

So, let me get this straight: you think those girls are, first, so stupid they don't know men care a lot about looks, and, second, that the better message would be a lie to them about it?

No need to deny that looks are important to us. No need to re-enforce it, either. Besides, he would learn more about the grandma and his daughters by asking a more open, "what's she like?"