OK, why the hell does Sonic keep airing commercials here when the nearest location is 172 miles away

[Godhumor]

Seriously, I see those Sonic Drive-in commercials multiple times each day, and they don't even have a location in my freakin' state. I just don't understand it.

[mcctatas]

1. Because they are evil sadists who like to make you suffer?

:shrug:

[Godhumor]

2. Sigh, no Costco, no Chipotle, no Sonic

Things I miss from living other places...

[Kutjara]

3. Why shouldn't you suffer like the rest of us?

I'd happily eviscerate the cretins in those ads with a blunt spoon. And the food sucks, too.

[Godhumor]

4. But I just get angry at the thought we're driving to another state to eat there

Seriously, how is this smart advertising spending? I can't imagine the "hope someone goes on vacation by us and remembers the commercials" justifies spending the ad money.

[Kutjara]

5. It could be worse.

They could be planning to open one near you, and are building brand awareness in advance. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[krispos42]

6. The owner of Sonic has heavy investments in oil futures

And by making you eat lots of his food, you're going to need a gas-guzzling SUV to haul yourself the 344 miles round-trip!

It's all a plot! An evil plot!

[Finn Polke]

7. Sonic TV commercials mildly funny

If I deign to watch commercial television it's usually while laying stretched out in bed so that if nothing on the screen can hold my attention I can hit the clicker and take a nap. Sometimes, a program seems like it has potential, and I get suckered into waiting for the commercial blocks to stream past my eyes until the program resumes. If I had a choice about how to suffer I'd choose a Sonic ad over many, many others.

I have no clue why there isn't a Sonic near you yet you are subjected to their commercials. Maybe there is one close by but you just don't know it, you know, kind of like when you figured out that your spouse was cheating on you. Was it you that happened to?

[hobbit709]

12. About the 157th time you see one, you wanna blow it up.

[Finn Polke]

23. You need GTA

Ok, you're right. But, get that new Grand Theft Auto game, lots of shit you can blow up in it, and none of it messy as debris from a smashed picture tube.

[crispini]

8. You're in their media market?

You have locations there you don't know about? Like, stealth Sonics?

Of all the fast food crap, I will occasionally eat a Sonic. I like tots. :)

[huskerlaw]

9. Same here!

There are no Sonics anywhere around metro LA...and yet, we get the commercials. Simply evil.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Here in MI, too...but I heard a "rumor" there is one being built on

Haggerty. I love the Orange Dreamsicle slushie type drink. Yum!

[BarenakedLady]

11. They hate us?

:shrug:

[Hand]

13. Insh'Allah. nt

[SoxFan]

14. National ad buy

Every fall, I'll be watching a Razorbacks game at a sports bar, and a barrage of Sonic ads will come on during the game. There isn't a single Sonic in all of New England, so I always hear "what the hell is Sonic"? Apparently, they spend heavily on advertising during SEC and Big 12 sporting events, since those leagues are most popular in places like Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, etc, where you see these grease traps.

I never see a Sonic ad on a Big East game.

[Godhumor]

22. Well, they were advertising on our local news channel yesterday

No market outside of my city. It was odd.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. Or Red Robin?

I mean, their burgers look mighty tasty, but given that the nearest Red Robin is in freakin' Atlanta, why do they wish to torture me like that?

[Godhumor]

17. People have one of two experiences with Red Robin

Either the burger is decent, or you end up bent over the toilet sick. Seriously, those are the only two possible endings to the meal.

[jobycom]

19. I love the place, because they have vegetarian options for most burgers.

The frustrating thing about eating out is that most restaurants have one or less meatless options. When I wander out of Austin, they frequently have none. Omnivores look at a menu to decide what to eat, veggies decide what to eat by deciding which restaurant to visit. So Red Robin is good. I can eat with my omnivore friends, take a few minutes to read the menu if I want, and not eat some grilled green peppers that some cook thinks is a veggie option.

Then I can pay them my last week's wages and go home fatter.

[LanternWaste]

16. Mmmmm.... Sonic.

The foot long chili cheese coney-- proof of God's existence. :)

[Initech]

18. Ruby Tuesday is one here.

Their only California location is in San Jose (a 280 mile drive from my house) yet they constantly advertise. WTF?

[jobycom]

20. Well, they have the best fast food commercials, so enjoy it.

Them or Jack in the Box.

Marketing on a national scale isn't worried about getting you to suddenly crave Sonic and drive there forthwith. Commercials for one fast food restaurant often make customers crave a different one, anyway, as the commercial makes them hungry, which makes them visit their favorite chain. McDonald's commercials make people go to Wendy's, IOW.

The purpose of national advertising of that scale is to increase name identity. The fact that you are now posting about the chain on an international web site demonstrates that it works. McDonald's thrives not because it has edible food, but because its name is synonymous with fast food. The more people know the name Sonic and bat it around during casual conversation, the more people will come to identify it as a national chain, and the more people will feel comfortable with their menu and feel like they know what they are getting. That means more people are likely to eat there, and franchisees are more likely to feel comfortable opening a store near you.

In case you care. I'm just bored at work. Sorry for the lecture.

[Duer 157099]

21. Same for N. Cal.

:shrug:

It just makes no sense to me, either. I guess they figure if we ever travel anywhere that does have one, at least we'll know who they are.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

24. So that in case you go to where they have one

you'll try it? :shrug:

[LibertyLover]

25. Same deal here in Maryland

We get Sonic commercials all the time. I looked them up and the closest is 52 miles away in Delaware. I am mildly interested in trying some of their drinks, but right now, definately not enough to drive 52 miles and waste several gallons of gas.

[Pale Blue Dot]

26. Well, it worked on us.

The Finn family (who also don't have a Sonic anywhere near us) were travelling last week, and we were forced to stop at a Sonic outside of Cheyanne, Wyoming thanks to all of the incessant advertising here. It was very underwhelming: a McDonalds with a cooler ordering system.