So, I’m sitting on the couch watching political coverage of the convention, and this commercial comes on and tells me that one thing in life you can count on is your paycheck. Huh? That’s why the first week in September is National Payroll Week. Wha?

The TV commercial shows a couple driving down an ominous road dodging all kinds of hazards. Things look grim for them until… the passenger gets an e-mail that informs her that her paycheck has been deposited. Now the storm clouds break. The road is clear. Cue the choir of angels! Life is great now thanks to those wonderful folks who brought you payroll checks.

I gotta say I love getting paid as much as the next guy. But I’m feeling these guys may be taking credit for something they didn’t really do. Do I still get a paycheck if I remain on the couch watching campaign coverage until November? Will I get paid just for driving around hairpin curves during a storm? According to their tagline, the reason America works is because they’re working for America. And to think all this time I though America works because of capitalism and the free-enterprise system.

Don’t get me wrong. Payroll people are cool. And maybe they should get a day named after them. Maybe. I might even be persuaded to give them a week if they would double my paychecks each month. But to let them take credit for delivering the salary that I worked for is kind of like Al Gore taking credit for inventing the Internet. That just ain’t right.

Article Tags: America Works | commercial | driving | National Payroll Week
Filed under: Advertising, Campaign Critiques, Outlandish Statements