This might belong in the TV forum, but since the commercials were for an online wobsite, I just said screw it. And, I suppose the commercials were seen by the
g e n e r a l public.

Anyway, this was a knockoff site of eBay, but what struck me as creepy (even in my cynical, rebellious phase of yesteryear) was the attitude the commercials seemed to promote. The people in the commercials appeared to be on severe tranquilizers laced with taurine, laughing slowly in the way that people impersonating an exaggerated idiot usually do. Huh huh huh, huh, huh. But with their eyes wide awake, like an Auntie Anne's addict looking for his next fix. And holding digital cameras, etc. up to their webcams while obviously fake-typing. The announcer was goign on and on about "uBid uPhoria". I swear on the grave of William McKinley that the titles in the commercial had that exact spelling and capitalization.

I am so, so sorry I can't find a recording of one of these commercials. If anyone does, be sure to link it.

Getting back on track (to the other side), it seems that uBid is still around, albeit a pale shadow of its former dullard state. When I say "pale shadow," I of course mean that dozens of people have had unsavory experiences with what seems like an unpleasant lot. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/ubid.html

Oddly enough, a review from a few years ago seems to paint a picture of a decent, if unremarkable, company that probably couldn't compete with eBay in the long run. Funny how things turned out, eh? I'm reminded of the Season 3 Seinfeld episode, "The Library".