Consumerist.com Announces Nominees for Worst Ad in America Awards

Honda, Progressive and Quiznos Will be Battling for the Glory of Worst Ad in America

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bad acting, loud spokespeople, and irritating but infectious jingles are all attributes of the 30 ads that were nominated for Consumerist.com's first annual Worst Ad in America Awards.  The nominees are divided among six categories and include obnoxious characters such as Chase Bank Barbarians and cheesy celebrity endorsements such as Hulk Hogan for Rent-a-Center.

"The masses have spoken and they are sick and tired of viewing ads that only stimulate irritation, rather than substance," said Meghann Marco, Executive Editor of Consumerist.com.  "Major brands like McDonald's and Toyota have made our list, along with some less known names like 5-Hour Energy and Liberator Medical, showing that bad ads don't discriminate."

All nominations were based on readers' submissions and the ads had to have aired in 2010. The categories include:

• Absolute Worst Ad in America
• Most Grating Performance By A Human Being
• Most Annoying Animated Spokesthing
• Duo Or Group That Most Needs To Be Broken Up
• Celebrity Who Must Have Lost The Most Money In Housing Crash
• Creepiest Commercial

Of all the industries represented, the insurance industry dominates the contest with seven nominations shared among six companies. Geico, whose animated gecko barely merited a mention in the nomination process, tied for the lead in total nominations by a single company with two.

Readers' gripes with the nominated ads stemmed from presentation rather than the products and services they were advertising. The one glaring exception to that statement is evident in the Celebrity category, where many readers expressed disgust with Ben Stein's endorsement of FreeScore.com. Dannon also received enough disdain to earn two nominations in the same category for its ads featuring Jamie Lee Curtis and Heidi Klum.

Click here for a printable pdf ballot of nominees or go directly to the voting!

Continue to visit Consumerist.com to track votes.  The winners in their respective categories will be announced on Wednesday, September 29 and will receive the coveted "Fast-Forward" Award.  

ABSOLUTE WORST AD IN AMERICA

• Honda – Mr. Opportunity -- Paparazzi
• Progressive – Flo Dishes Out Discounts
• Quiznos – Singimals – Starring Kittens
• Staples – Wow! That's a Low Price!
• State Farm – Pocket Agent

MOST GRATING PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN

• 1-800 Dentist – The last woman on Earth you'd want in the elevator with you
• 5-Hour Energy – Mr. "Do You Know What 2:30 Feels Like?"
• McDonald's – The "Not Until I've Had My Coffee" jerkface
• Nationwide – The World's Greatest Spokesperson In the World
• Wendy's – That "Pico De Gallo!" loudmouth

MOST ANNOYING ANIMATED SPOKESTHING

• Charmin – The Sticky-Bottomed Bears
• Geico – The Squealing Piggy
• Michelin – The Happy Roadkill Crew
• Omnaris – The Scientists From the Uncanny Valley
• The General Insurance – The General

DUO OR GROUP THAT MOST NEEDS TO BE BROKEN UP

• Capital One – Barbarians at the ATM
• Chase – Screaming Newlyweds
• Geico – Cavemen, Featuring the Deadliest Catch Cast
• JG Wentworth – The Opera Singing Bus Riders
• Toyota – The Sienna Couple

CELEBRITY WHO MUST HAVE LOST THE MOST MONEY IN HOUSING CRASH

• Dannon Activia – Jamie Lee Curtis
• Dannon Light & Fit – Heidi Klum
• Extenze – Jimmy Johnson
• FreeScore.com – Ben Stein
• Rent-A-Center – Troy Aikman & Hulk Hogan

CREEPIEST COMMERCIAL

• Allstate – Mr. Mayhem
• Apple – iPhone 4 Facetime
• Dodge – "Kittens"
• Liberator Medical – No More Used Catheters
• Old Navy – Super Modelquins

About Consumerist.com

The Consumerist is a subsidiary of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, and ConsumerReports.org, and the nation's leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization. Since its founding in 1936, Consumers Union has fought for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To maintain independence and impartiality, CU accepts neither outside advertising nor free samples. It employs a staff of "mystery shoppers" who buy products in retail stores around the country, just as any other buyer would, and then ship them to the Consumers Union labs, where technical experts test some 3,000 products yearly.

To further advance its mission, CU employs a dedicated team of grassroots organizers, advocates and outreach specialists who work with the organization's more than 600,000 online activists to change legislation and the marketplace in favor of the consumer interest. Consumers Union is also the leading publisher of information to help consumers choose the right products, stay safe, and protect themselves against unfair business practices. In addition to The Consumerist and Consumer Reports, CU's publications include ConsumerReportsHealth.org, ConsumerReportsEnEspanol.org, ShopSmart magazine, Consumer Reports on Health and Consumer Reports Money Adviser. CU's publications have received many major awards, including multiple National Magazine Awards, several Webby Awards and numerous awards for public-interest and health-care reporting.

SOURCE Consumerist.com