10 Terrible Tech Ads

When FreeCreditReport.com first debuted its down-and-out, guitar-playing dude and his spot-on rhythm section, I couldn’t get enough of the group’s credit crisis blues. I can’t tell you how many times I found myself humming, “They monitor your credit and send you email alerts / So you don’t end up selling fish to tourists in t-shirts.” All three of the original ads were pure genius. But, then two things happened: First, I discovered that the band isn’t a band at all, but three French-Canadian lip-synchers (look closely at the lead-singer’s mouth and you’ll see what I mean). Second, they released new songs, which aren’t just bad—they’re putrid. There’s nothing even resembling a catchy hook in any of them, and now that I know the guys are actors, I can’t stand the sight of them. Worst of all, FreeCreditReport.com is trying to ride the popularity of its first ads by airing this new batch to death.