Ad Earworm
The weather this morning was perfect for a bike ride, so I headed out to blithely focus on nothing but the cool weather, some potential post topics and... floxie-noxie-pillification.
Ahem.
As I was saying, I was looking forward to the luxury of 60 minutes to simply think about topics like the unfortunate new TV series set in Iraq, the lame column slamming the president for being in shape and...floxie-noxie-pillification.
#$%@! Floxie-noxie-pillification.
OK. Out with it. Have you seen that insurance company commercial that touts the simplicity of the company's website, and uses a ridiculously complicated made-up word in a fictitious spelling bee to make the point? That word -- which I can't spell because it contains a variety of double Cs and AUs and PHs -- is pronounced "floxie-noxie-pillification," and I can't get it out of my head! I'd really appreciate it if you'd take it off my mind; feel free to pass it along to someone else when you tire of it.
The irony is that while I can remember the stupid word, I cannot recall which insurance company is making the pitch. Perhaps there's a lesson there for advertising firms: it is possible to be too clever for your client's good.
Regardless, I simply want to leave you with this: floxie-noxie-pillification.
Update: Charles over at Dustbury.com devotes a post to my lack of spelling and pronunciation skillz. To which I reply, "oh yeah?" And, further, "floxie-noxie-pillification."
Technorati tags: Earworms | Floxie-Noxie-Pillifiation
I'm pretty sure it's not Geico; it's the company that gets multiple quotes from other insurers and lets you pick the one you want. Anyway...
Yeah, I like that "Hank" commercial, too.
Posted by: Eric at August 1, 2005 08:34 PMActually, I believe it's "flauxinoxihillipillification" ;)
Posted by: Liz at August 1, 2005 09:03 PMLiz, it's much worse than that, even: floccinaucinihilipilification
Posted by: Eric at August 1, 2005 09:33 PMThe multiple quote company is Progressive, but I don't think I recall them having a spelling bee ad. Spelling bee ads are apparently all the rage these days.
Posted by: bryan at August 1, 2005 10:03 PMProgressive. Yeah, that's the company...but now you've got me thinking that perhaps the ad does belong to Geico after all. Wow. I'm sure that any lurking ad guys are getting quite depressed over this thread! ;-)
Posted by: Eric at August 1, 2005 10:05 PMBefore pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, floccinaucinihilipilification was the longest word in the OED. But really, not to floccinaucinihilipilificate the word “floccinaucinihilipilification,” but some wag just stuck four Latin words for worthless together to make a really long English word for making something out to be worthless.
“Flocci” means a bit of wool, something trivial.
“Pili” means a strand of hair, just a trifle.
“Nihili” means, well, nothing. You see in around in English as nihilism and annihiliate.
“Nauci” simply means worthless.
BTW, whatever twenty-first-century wags may say, I actually prefer “floxie-noxie-pillification.” Not so pretentious, if you know what I mean.
Posted by: Daniel Morris at August 1, 2005 10:16 PMNot so pretentious, if you know what I mean.
I'm awash with unpretentiousness.
Posted by: Eric at August 2, 2005 06:31 AM1 entry found for floccinaucinihilipilification.
Main Entry: floccinaucinihilipilification
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: an act or instance of judging something to be worthless or trivial
Etymology: the parts of the word each mean `at nothing' or `with a small price'
Warren, the irony is that the word applies perfectly to this post. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at August 8, 2005 03:22 PMActually it is Geico. I just saw the commercial on tv and googled that word to find out its meaning.
Posted by: AK at August 13, 2005 01:16 PMThe mystery is solved. Thanks.
Posted by: Eric at August 13, 2005 01:27 PMAbout the publisher
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It's probably Geico. If it's not Geico, it's DirectTV. Both of them have spelling bee themed commercials running right now.
My fav commercial of late is the "Hank" commercial for starbucks' double esspresso canned drink. That "Hank" mascot doing a break dance slays me every time.
Posted by: bryan at August 1, 2005 08:10 PM