I just saw another one of those Tennessee Lottery commercials (don't ask me how I was watching commercials - I know that's strange). If you're not in TN, or don't know what I'm referring to, the TN lottery commission began running television ads last year depicting 'heart felt' scenes of lottery winners who use their new winnings to buy things for their loving family. One shows a guy buying his brother the boat he's always dreamed of. Another one has a daughter giving her aging mother the wedding she's always wanted. You get the picture...

So, my first reaction is, "You've got to be kidding!" I mean, they are cheesy enough by themselves. But, I'm just as disgusted at the whole deal. The whole point is to somehow appeal to our emotional side & our love for our family/friends to want to go & buy a bunch of tickets so we can give them what they've always dreamed of? Doubt it.

I was trying to find the clips on YouTube or something (no such luck) and ran across a blog post by Sam Davidson about these same ads that sums it up pretty well...

"So keep running ads all you want, Tennessee Lottery. But be warned that my main motivation for buying lotto tickets will not change. My sole purpose in wishing upon stars when the jackpot goes over $100 million has been and always will be my desire to fill a vault with gold coins and swim around in it like Scrooge McDuck."

Come on, you know you've had that same dream :-)