I’m speechless.
[youtube]usYpXqrBLLk[/youtube]
I’m speechless.
[youtube]usYpXqrBLLk[/youtube]
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Thank goodness someone else feels the same way abotu this commercial!!!
It irritates me to no end.
OH NOOOOO NOOOOO NOOOO Swiss Chalet. You guys need a NEW ad agency.
Haha omg! I thought this commercial was so weird when it came out.
First of all…horrible actors right? Very awkward…
And I love how she acts like he just shouted out some horrible obscenity when he puts the sauce on his nose
This does not in any way make me want to eat there
lol….very, very weird.
I thought the exact same thing when I saw this commercial. It’s horrible and very disturbing.
What this commercial says to me is, “Swiss Chalet – the perfect restaurant for estranged family” or something along those lines.
Well at least it’s better than the screaming “You Don’t Drive Like Her” commercial.
I think that Dad was in prison. Very creepy commercial. Too many questions come along with it.
omg, mjtjmom, i said the very same thing when the commercial came on yesterday. haha
My mind started racing when Dad fingered that sauce….. had no idea WHERE the advertisers were going with THAT inappropriatness.
haha! my boyfriend JUST saw this on tv, and said ‘why hasn’t he seen her? was he in prison?” can’t believe you guys are discussing it too. 🙂
this still isn’t as bad as the hall’s refresh commercial with the mother and her son’s friend…oh boy was that an awkward ad
Did she not expect him at the door?She was dressed to go out but surprised that he was there! Was he stalking her???
Ya, I found it – uhhh, Okaaay?
Thought it was cute. I know of too many people who have no connection with their parents.
Then the dad reaches across the table to give his daughter a French kiss…. ewwww
I think everyone is overly sensitive, it wasn’t offensive in the slightest. Get a grip.
That is too funny I also thought along the same lines as alot of you did daddy just got out of prison? For your creepy holidays Swiss Chalet.
omg
i’m so glad someone posted this commercial.
i’ve seen it so many times on tv and everytime i just don’t understand it.
i really don’t like it.
i don’t think i’m sensitive and i don’t find it offensive.
but i just find it so awkward.
oh
and blue, i hate the halls refresh commercial too.
I think you’re all reading WAY too much into this – but it is one of the dumbest commercials ever. What – was it like a bitter custody battle and he hasn’t seen her since she was at the age where she liked his Rudolph impression? Dumb Dumb Dumb….
I don’t like this ad.
Why is the girl so white, it’s like the ghost of her.
She was too nervous when she opened the door.
She doesnt even remember that Swiss Chalet is her favourite place!!!
FAIL
The dad played wrestler so the daughter doesn’t like him
That certainly made me lose my appetite…..probably not what Swiss Chalet would want hahahaha.
It is a very very strange commercial. Doesn’t make much sense at all.
Smartmama, I absolutely agree with you. I think the commercial is adorable, it is suppose to represent how silly things between child and parent can still make you laugh when your relationship evolves and grows over the years. *sighs*
HA! I thought the rudolph thing was kinda cute! of course for a much younger child …made me wonder how many parents tried that trick with the younger ones after seeing the comercial(lol)…… but yes over all a WIERD comercial…. I never knew which one was gone or why..and she must not like Swiss chalet much because she didnt know it was her favorite lol…
But oh another story the halls refresh totally stupid!!!! I cringe every time it comes on!
thats too funny… i was like WTF when i saw that commercial too!!!! it doesnt make sense. did he just get out of jail or what?
o.O I feel stupid because I never saw an issue with it.
It’s always on tv but I never paid attention to it.
Now that I’ve paid attention. …. it looks like [kinda] the scene from Buffy the vampire slayer when willow dips her nose into her cappicuno cup at the Bronze to get Xander’s attention [while he’s looking around for Buffy] and ignores her sorta [“You got something on your nose” ::Xander looks around for buffy again::
Lol.
I’m not one for Swiss Chalet.. the gravey is salty, meat is weird, and the food generally tastes… off I don’t know what it is =/
@LouLou: Bingo.
I’ll admit, it’s soooo odd – but it does have people talking….
@Kelly – true that!
Definitely, definitely akward though lol >.<
I think the ad says, “even your loser dad whom your mom divorced can afford to take you to a decent dinner at Swiss Chalet”.
It’s a miracle they’re still in business. Horrible ads, bad food, slow service, always messed up orders.
I don’t see a problem here…maybe a little corny, but that’s all. I hear, “Dad must have been in prison…it’s a divorce thing… maybe, we are getting more realistic. How about his daughter was away at college…far away & they haven’t seen each other in awhile. So he tries to lighten thing up by joking with her, but Dad she not your little girl anymore & she feels a little embarassed. She moved away and done some growing up.
I guess Swiss Chalet was trying something new & I guess it failed.
“End of story.”
lmao adora
lol, tough crowd
Yeah it does have people talking, but not good things!
It’s so awkward and bad that it’s almost laughable.
“I have a favourite place?”
Would not eat at Swiss Chalet based on this commercial.
…I’m at a loss for words. That they even decided to make it into a commercial…wow.
i dont know you guys, i thought it was understandable, maybe parents are divorced or dad wasnt always in the picture , and he comes to have a holidy lunch with his daughter?? is it that hard to understand? sure the actors could have been better, but it still makes sense…
I read it like this:
Her parents are divorced.
She dressed up as he was taking her out for Xmas dinner.
He and his ex probably had been battling over her, hence perhaps the MOM got custody. He FINALLY got what he was entitled to 50/50.
He did the ‘cranberry-sauce-nose-thing’ as he missed the years when she was young and he used to do that at Christmas dinner etc…..
This is what I got from the commercial.
No creepiness.
I think that those who commented as to why Swiss Chalet thought of this.
Welcome to 2009. People D I V O R C E over the cap being off the toothpaste. THIS IS LIFE…….NOW!
I am so glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels this way. I think the ad is so … awkward and uncomfortable … it doesn’t make me feel Christmasy at all!
MOI hit the nail on the head. Its reality that maybe this fellow hasn’t seen his daughter since she was much smaller when she used to love it when he’d put the sauce on his nose. He’s older now, she’s older now and they finally see each other again and she’s no longer the little girl she used to be and its now embarassing for her when he puts the sauce on his nose. GEEZ! people, get over your strange paranoia. Its not the greatest commercial, Christmas or otherwise, but its not creepy or wierd.
I don’t see anything wrong with it.
Course, I made up an explanation for myself when I saw the commercial:
Dad and daughter estranged for a long time. Dad calls daughter to reconnect and go to dinner somewhere. Daughter doesn’t know where, and is surprised that they are going to Swish Chalet like they did when she was much younger.
The awkwardness at Swiss Chalet is due to daughter and father not having spoken for a long time, so Dad does something silly that he used to do when she was younger to break up the tension. The message that I’m getting from this commercial is: set ill feelings aside, take the time to reconnect with family.
Oh good, so I’m not the only one! This is definitely one creepy commercial. And that actor… I wonder what the ones who DIDN’T make it were like. She is terrible! It’s like she’s just coming off the roofies.
Its just plain dumb
My husband and I hate the commerical too. It’s HORRIBLE. It’s stupid – it does NOT make the food appetizing at all. WTF?
And the daughter – what a bad, bad actress. That stupid grimace she gives at the end? What is this, high school?
I’m being serious…did Swiss Chalet run a contest for high school projects? This commecial bites.
I thought it was cute…especially because teenage daughters sometimes don’t have a good connection with their father’s at that age, I thought it was cute because he was trying to connect with her through past memories…I think it’s a nice holiday commercial…
Now if weird is what you want, what about that freaky Cadbury chocolate commercial with the freaky eyebrows..what does that have to do with chocolate??lol
I agree with you LIL…
Totally weird. This is not a commercial that would entice me to eat at Swiss Chalet; their other one about a family reunion that was rained out was much better. This one was disturbing.
Hey Swiss Chalet . . . Fire Your Advertisers!!!!
I like it! I think it’s kind of sweet. He obviously loves his daughter and is trying to recapture something from her childhood that was meaningful. Not creepy at all.
ok speaking of WIERD and STUPID, people with tweens who watch YTV… OMG I HATE THAT CHANNEL, (my kids are too young to watch it.. THANK GOD) but all the annoying toy ads that come on over and over and over again, and all of them have this wierd catchy music that goes with the toy… really … ALL those ads are annoying.. the swiss chalet is nothing compared to those.
I don’t find it’s inappropriate, but it’s kind of weird and definitely bad acting. And urouj862, totally agree!! YTV is so freakin’ weird! All of the shows on there look like they were modeled after Beavis and Butthead or something.
And speaking of the Hall’s Refresh commercial, I think it wins the award for most inappropriate commercial. It’s just totally creepy….and awkward…and just leaves so many questions in your head that shouldn’t be there….LOL
It’s been awhile….I could definitely use a Halls Refresh, just cased on that commercial
Relax people, for those of you who don’t have grown up kids you would not understand that sometimes we remind them of silly things from when they were a child. I found the commercial very touching, as it was meant to be. For those of you who read something into it, perhaps you should look in the mirror.
Gee, I agree with Moi, Lil, and Highlander.
I have NO idea where the rest of you are getting ‘creepy’ from….
Sheesh.
What’s really creepy about this is that a lot of you seem to overly insinuate what’s going on in this commercial. I saw it and yes the actors are terrible but the plot isn’t creepy it seems like a dad trying to reconnect with his daughter.
The fact that a large majority of you seem to imply the dad is some sort of incestuous pedophile really creeps me out. Just what kind of home did you grow up in to automatically assume that scenario.
That’s an extremely disturbing TV ad considering all the latest reports of pedophilia in the news.
Perhaps they’re trying to convey the evoluation ofa father-dauther relationship; but the level of awkwardness the daughter expresses can’t be overlooked, along with the father’s pushing her to accept him. I saw it as his attempting to reconcile a bad relationship. Like others, how Swiss Chalet saw this as good marketing is beyond me. Their target demographic tends to be families and seniors…I doubt very much that this commercial speaks to this group at all. Like others have said, I would ditch this ad firm if I were Swiss Chalet.
While I didn’t find this to be the finest of the holiday ads… there wasn’t a WTF moment for me ..just a poorly structured commercial, the focus was taken away from food and the restaurant by the mediocre acting of the father/daughter. Just my two cents….
the commercial does have an air of ‘estrange’ awkwardness surrounding it – the Halls commercial – ditto and another creepy one for me is the Cadbury chocolate – two kids taking school photo that all of a sudden start raising their eyebrows to techno music…just too weird for words for me – jsut don’t get it…maybe it’s sleep deprivation … have a great day!
The commercial is not that bad. It obviously shows there has been some turmoil in their lives and they are trying to reconnect by going somewhere that they are both familiar with and the daughter is shocked that her dad is trying hard to show her he still cares and remembers all the fun they had their before. The acting looks like it was meant to be like that – like they really haven’t talked in a long time and they were getting to know each other again.
There is nothing ad worthy about a deadbeat dad finally taking his daughter out to dinner. I can’t help but presume this ad was approved by a roomful of deadbeats in Swiss Chalet’s ad dept. SHAME!
My husband and I thought it was like he was in jail or something!
Ho Hum! Too much time spent analyzing a dumb commercial.
i love the festive special and will go again this year.
But that comercial was weird and didn’t make sense.
I would not reconcile with my estranged father because he bought me an $8 chicken meal – just sayin’…
Definitely not one of the best commercials Swiss Chalet has put out!!!
The first time I saw it I thought it was a little strange but since then I’ve seen it a few more times and I’ve changed my opinion about it. I think it’s supposed to be about a father and daughter who haven’t seen each other in a long time and they both missed the old times. The daughter probably doesn’t remember she had a favorite place b/c she was young. It may have been a tradition in the past for the them to go each year but once her parents divorced (maybe????) the tradition stopped and it wants to reconnect with his daughter again. The red nose thing was a little strange but I think it’s was just a way of saying that she will always be his little girl and this was a memory they could always share. But that’s just the way I see it I could be totally wrong, lol….
Oh wow, I don’t know. My initial reaction was that he was going to make her lick the sauce off his nose, because she was so embarrassed he did that.
Maybe there’s something wrong with me… maybe something wrong with this commerce.
Swiss Chalet: Deadbeat Dad? Take her out for a fancy chicken leg!
OMG! This is such a weird commercial! What did he do to her? Too weird for a restaurant commercial, I could’ve written better lol
Two thumbs up for fundygal’s comment. Why Swiss Chalet thinks ‘celebrating’ a deadbeat dad who doesn’t seem to have had any connection to his child since she was little is beyond me.
You can’t deny the awkwardness in the commercial. I find it funny how the people who say they find this ad nice and sweet follow it up with a “what is wrong with you people” comment.
The fact is, Swiss Chalet, isn’t in the business of reconnecting families. They need to push food.
Granted, there are many kids with divorced parents but there are better ways of conveying that “no matter what your situation is, Swiss Chalet is here”. The “awkward reunion between a kid and her dad” is such a small demographic that this commercial loses everyone while they ponder what is the deal between the 2 – where has dad been – why does she seem really nervous – etc.
Not to be mean, but this commercial doesn’t entice me to go there at all. The funny thing is I’ve eaten at one of these places before and enjoyed the food, but had I not done so before it’s highly likely I would have avoided it based on this commercial alone :-).
Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t the purpose of a commercial supposed to, at least to some degree, encourage others to try the place?
The only way this would make sense is if she had a bade case of alzheimers and if he’s trying a ’50 first dates’ number on her.
When we watched the commercial for the first time, we got the impression that dad doesn’t see his daughter as much as he would like too. This time he wanted to take her to a place they went when she was younger when times were better. I loved the ketchup on the nose bit. Never too late to make more memories.
Nov.23/09
I thought it was just me! This commercial along with the HALLS (son’s friend interacting with mother)as well as ALL the PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE ‘angel and manservant(s)?’ commercials are way too out there. It is truly REALITY CHECK time. Humour is not only the best medicine (Readers’ Digest), it is also the absolute BEST METHOD of advertising. We Canadians always appreciate a self-depracating but really funny and uplifting ad!
Nov.23/09
Judith Connell again. I forgot to mention that Swiss Chalet has a LOT of nerve issuing this super questionable commercial when they have also RAISED the price of their standard Quarter Chicken Dinner by $1.00 and shrunk the Take-Out Chicken Soup to only 6 OUNCES! SWISS CHALET – we’re in a Recession! Who is running your particular asylum?
She looks like she’s smelling a fart during half the commercial. It’s really awkward to watch. Instead of being left wanting to eat at Swiss Chalet, I’m left wondering if the dad lost his life savings gambling, then was kicked out of the house by the mom.
ugh!
I understand what they were trying to do with the commercial (think Hallmark commercials from the early 90’s), but it was SO badly done! Awkward actors and corny dialogue. I laugh at it every time it’s on.
It’s a commercial. It ain’t Shakespeare.
Yahoo! other people found this weird too! what’s up with the story? was he in prison? did he abandon the family when she was young? something creepier that makes her never want to see him again? yea….waaaay too many questions in this, bad casting, bad actors, shut it down!!! deserves the ‘worst holiday ad ever’ award.
After watching it again, I think I’ve figured it out:
Earlier that day, the daughter decided to try a Brazilian wax; as a brunette (and thus having thick hair), she’s in immense pain, but she can’t tell her father this, as she would then have to explain *why* she decided to have a wax, “down there”.
In the meantime, her father is the person upon whom the film “Cast Away” (starring Tom Hanks and Wilson the volleyball) is based: He has been stuck on a tropical island for years; her mother has moved on and remarried, and Dad hadn’t seen his daughter for years. Daughter hadn’t counted on reuniting with him on that particular day, when she had the previously-mentioned spa service booked.
Moving forward to the commercial, daughter is acting all stand-offish because father has been somewhat estranged, due to years of isolation on tropical island and all. Meanwhile, daughter is grimacing because of wax-job.
There, now it all makes perfect sense. Enjoy your festive specials.
It is reality that maybe the father hasn’t seen his daughter since she was much smaller. The father used to put the sauce on his nose & the daughter loved it. It is cool that the father remembered & even though the daughter seemed embarrassed, she recovered fast & even called her dad Rudolph. It might be the best commercial, but I don’t think it is wierd or creepy.
You guys gotta get a life. Not a thing wrong with it. Would you rather them discuss the diamond-shaped shreddies?????
The way she looks during the whole commercial is uneasy and pensive.
Likely because she’s a garbage actor and this is her first job.
Sadly it carries across that she’s afraid of this man the whole time and doesn’t remember her childhood because she’s blocked it out.
Why?
Who knows, chances are it has something to do with ‘daddy’ and that sauce…
It’s a gawd awful commercial and the pair of actors really don’t convey family, they convey that she was raped repeatedly as a little girl and is afraid of the perpetrator.
Whomever came up with this ad should be fired, I just sincerely hope that SwissChalet gets wind of how much we all hate this creepy daughter/pedo dad combination they’re flogging now.
If anything they shouldn’t have people on the commercials, focus on the food and the price.
Note to swiss chalet: Creepy awkward white folks don’t help food sales…
Repressed emotion, cold blue nordic lighting: Ingmar Bergman does spit-roasted chicken. The cranberry sauce on the face reminds me of Ingrid Thulin’s disturbing self-mutilation in “Cries and Whispers.” Yummy!
Seriously though: WTF?
this ad just creeps me out
Remember the Bell Canada ad when the kid gives the bus driver the calling card to call his son and the guy cries…now THAT is a holiday ad. This is just weird and uncomfortable.
and btw, I love the diamond shreddies ads…very silly and clever 🙂
I’m Horrifically Terrified by this awful commercial. Shame on humanity for coming up with this one!
meh, i think it is just awkward because she is a terrible actress.
Aww, come on. It’s just a short commercial with a daughter liking Swiss Chalet and a father driving her there. The commercial actually put a smile on my face… dad and daughter. 🙂
Although there is weirdness.
The food is bad???? Where do you guys eat Swiss Chalet? Must be in Pickering where all the business suits leave 25 cent tips as my wife told me of her adventures as a waitress for Swiss Seagull back in the day.
I actually love the commercial. I can’t get enough of the awkward vibe between the father and daughter. And there is something oddly sexy about the daughter. Like she would just be a monster in the sack. I think I have seen this commercial on TV more than any other current TV spot and I haven’t turned the channel once. So its doing its job – its enticing me!
Scott you’re just a pervert. Please only eat at Taco Bell so I don’t run into you, ok? 🙂
It’s a weird but nice commercial, and the girl is cute. Why do you all have to be so nasty?? it’s sad..
I thought the same thing Weird, especially when he puts the cranberry sauce on his nose in public.
The advertising company probably knew how dumb it was and that they would get people talking about like us.
I thought it was sweet, but it really bothered me. TO NO END.
I don’t get the haters out there. I thought the girl’s very cute and sweet, and the dad’s a wonderful father to want to spend some time with his daughter. My interpretation is that the girl moved out into her own house and her dad misses her because they’re so busy with their lives that they’re simply seizing the opportunity around the holidays to meet for dinner in order to re-connect again at a place they both knew and had pleasant memories of. It’s a happy moment between the two. Christmas is, after all, about spending time with family and friends. Why do so many people make the most negative assumptions? Are they from dysfunctional families, feeling so lost and disconnected? Yes, take a good look in the mirror before you jump to negative conclusions.
Yes, I found this to be a very disturbing commercial as well.
Being a mother of 2 small children, I think it teaches that them messing around with food on your face is acceptable in a restaurant. NOT
Get it off the AIR!
WOW, these comments are disturbing, not the commercial!
Agree with Fab.
I didn’t see this as a dad issue, but rather that she was an amnesiac, or just woke up from a 12-year coma. Back story, Swiss Chalet, what’s the friggin’ back story?
I really couldn’t identify with, or relate to, this commercial…….mind you I come from a normal family.
I think the restraining order the mother took out on the father expired and before she could get it reinstated, he stalked the family to their new address and waited outside until the daughter left for her part-time job. Surprise! She’s so creeped out ’cause she’s praying for someone to notice whats going on and to call the police. Happy Holidays!
Why! oh why would Swish Chalet think this commercial was bringing cheer to the Christmas holiday season. I was moved to tears the first time I saw this commercial as my mid twenty year old daughter was in the room and their Father has not concidered them (Another Sister and Brother) important enough to spend time with over the past 10 years. (Men who do this are self-serving, selfish and out of touch with basic parenting ). This experience leaves deep pain in the hearts of these Children which is hard enough to deal with during the ‘Hallmark’ times. What child does not want their parent to give them loving attention or even for that matter to have their parents are back together. Concidering the number of divorces out there in this far reaching commercial you are simply causing pain. Even when my family is tring to laugh off your commercial it hurts them. They are saying “well I guess Swish Chalet only wants to get people talking about them no matter what”. I call it immoral advertising. Shame on you for playing with childrens hearts. “Festive Special” family deal what a JOKE. (It was one of our favorite meal treats!). – Mad Mother of three!!!!
The ad is incredibly sad. I get it perfectly. Dad was not in jail. he doesn’t look like a criminal to me. Dad was alienated from his daughter. Did you see mom at the door? No? That’s because she was probably not happy to see her daughter leave the house with her father. Dad has missed several years of his daughter’s life because she ‘hated him’. His daughter has finally gotten old enough to want a relationship with dad. Her awkwardness is her guilt at having rejected him. His awkwardness is the fact that he doesn’t really know this girl he has not seen since she was a child. This has nothing to do with a girl who has been rejected by her dad. It has to do with a girl whose dad was stolen from her. It’s a new version of an old issue: child abuse.
With adolescence comes independent thinking. She now sees that mom can’t stop her relationship with her dad.
It is incredibly sad. They are incredibly awkward. This loving – not criminal! – Dad tries his best to put his daughter at ease. (Oh the irony.) Unfortunately, kids are alienated from their loving parents. Swiss Chalet did us a massive service in showing us this fact. Bravo
i think they stopped playing the commerical!! maybe they found out about this site hahahahah!
This commercial is just another case of the representation of the “emasculated father’s image” manating from deep inside the feminist fantasm realm. The father who gave everything to his brainless spoiled daughter, and now cannot adjust to her not living at home anymore in a vomiting nostalgic pseudo melancoly tone that makes you believe that whom ever directed it never saw a penis in her life!
It’s obvious this ad was targeted to people who have no where to go for an x-mas dinner and shows a father trying to re-connect w/his daughter whom for whatever reason hasn’t had a relationship w/her since she was very young.(who else goes to out for dinner to celebrate on Christmas eve?….people who have nowhere else to go.
She was obviously expecting him.
Re: this ad being creepy…..this site is called “SMART Canucks”….not STUPID Canucks …so why are so many shallow/self-centered people posting such negative/stupid comments on this site?
Um, I don’t find anything offensive with this commercial… Sure it’s some awkward acting, but I thought it was cute? lol