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Harvey Norman

Harvey Norman review: saturation advertising! 19

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12:00 am EDT
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This is not a complaint concerning quality of goods. It is the saturation TV advertising that has almost reached brain washing levels. The advertising is on all commercial channels and is sometimes repeated over and over again.It has got to the point that each time an advert appears the mute button is pressed. Instead of encouraging me to buy it has resulted in my refusing to shop at any of their branches. They tell us they are experts onall things, furniture, cameras, white goods, plus many others and they will not be beaten on price. This is not only on TV but also on many of the radio stations and newspapers plus in junk mail in letter boxes. I suppose the argument will be others do much the same. Perhaps but Harvey Norman are the worst.If it is not a H.N. Advert it is DOMAINE another one of their stores. Please I do not have to be informed over and over again of sales for every reason including long weekends, haloween, fathers day etc. I AM SICK OF SEEING AND HEARING HARVEY NORMAN!

19 comments
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greg baird
Jul 03, 2008 7:48 pm EDT

i find it hard to watch tv or listen to the radio anymore because of harvey norman ads. ill run to the tele to turn it off if i cant find the remote. i hear it in doctors offices, at the bank, and taxis, its everywhere. i succumbed to one of there ads, oh the irony, i went to a sale at carrara stadium to buy a $85 digi camera, $186 (down from $286 apparently) later i have my first fujifilm camera, it has given me nothing but trouble from the start. auto lens cover stays open or shut, i have to take the battery out every now and then because it freezes up. it downloads photos to pc only every third try. i cant find anyone to complain too. I AM A FOOL. i hate harvey norman. i also hate domaine, kresta, super a-mart, the good guys and all other large organisations run by a board of directors whose sole purpose in life is to make money for the man and themselves.

otherwise everything is fine.

peace

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Andersons Frenchville
Rockhampton, AU
Apr 22, 2009 5:01 am EDT

The HN ads are abusive in the extreme. My family has resolved to boycott HN and its subsidiary outlets absolutely. We will also try to avoid the principal brands HN promotes.
The Anderson family of North Rockhampton

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Vee
AU
Jun 17, 2009 5:29 am EDT

I am not sure where this is going as it seems that other people feel the same way as me (and this appears to be 2 years ago), but I am SICK TO DEATH OF HARVEY NORMAN'S ADVERTISING! I feel absolutely abused being shouted at constantly in my own home via their loud and irritating adverts. The same goes for Joyce Mayne. Can somebody please stop them?! I could easily just leave the country in order to get away from it as I am just fed up and as a result I NEVER shop at Harvey Norman or Joyce Mayne. Whether I am in the car or at home, I automatically hit the change channel button for a different radio station, or grab the remote to change stations when one of their disgusting ads are foisted on me again.

And try getting onto their website to let them know! No chance of that. They don't have a "contact us" section. I wonder why?

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David Anderson
Rockhampton, AU
Jun 17, 2009 6:05 pm EDT

Clearly HN's advertising agencies are either blind, deaf and dumb, or are under orders from HN management which isn't getting the message. Recently I conducted a series of regular visits to gauge patronage in the North Rockhampton outlet of HN. Each day you could fire a scattergun in the store and not hit anyone, including staff. My only consolation is that HN must be losing money on that store. The space is huge, and the rental would be commensurate.

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Thane Haarhoff
NZ
Jul 08, 2009 5:53 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Just so everyone knows - as at 8 July 2009, there is at least one person (me) still looking for ways to boycott Harvey Norman because of their 'noise polution' advertising - it is offensive and I will not buy anything from their stores for as long as they persist with this inane campaign.

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andersond2n
Rockhampton, AU
Jul 20, 2009 7:02 am EDT

The umbrella bodies of both TV and radio commercial outlets don't care as long as HN and subsidiaries keep flinging $$$ their way. The Advertising Standards people state that they're not interested in the volume or other technical aspects of the ads, and keep referring complaints to the broadcast stations, who in turn refer you to the Advertising Standards Council.

Answer ... for peace of mind, switch off, and quietly and consistently advise businesses in your local community that they should review their expenditure on TV and radio advertising, because HN and Co are cruelling the medium these small businesses rely upon for continued community interest.

Super A-Mart is getting just as bad.

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Laurel Sheridan
Minnamurra, AU
Aug 29, 2009 12:22 am EDT

I've just heard that bloody dreadful Harvey Norman add for the zillionth time and decided to try to contact "someone" but surprise surprise there is no contact number. How much longer do we have to put up with this inane shouting before they get the idea THAT IT'S DRIVING US MAD.

L. Sheridan

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DCon
IE
Sep 25, 2009 12:08 pm EDT

Harvey Normans' advertisements are without doubt the most irritating around. Others use clever, witty dialogue but these folks decided plan old shouting was their best bet! I will never, as long as I live, buy any of their products as a protest against this ridiculous behaviour.

Someone should really start a petition to get them to stop!

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PissedOffPom
Gold Coast, AU
Oct 28, 2009 7:07 am EDT

I completely agree with eveything being said here!, Infact 'break time' at work today was spent with just over 20 people in the break area talking about this very subject... how much we all hate the harvey norman and domaine ads, not one of us was not talking about it, I thought it was only me until someone else brought it up at lunch break today, haha! I thought we were going to start marching the streets! We were also all saying that we now avoid shopping there because of their annoying and constantly played ads! - Even if they ditched the music and that really annoying 1970's style "SHOUTY!" guy - come on harvey norman... people want to see creative and clever ads not yours! - They dont even seem to realise that they are projecting themself as a tacky company. - I think we should be petitioning for a advertising standard that prevents ads like these being produced. Some other ads that annoy, mainly due to the shear amount their played is, "happy eofys - the foxtel end of financial year sale " - thank god thats finished - "NOBODY BEATS SUPER A-MART!" - I wish I could beat you! :) - "DOMAINE" - 'nuff said! - I wish I could put the advertising bodies in a room and force them to watch these ads over and over again or 2 and a half hours. Because this is what happens to my family every time we watch a film. - I think im quite lucky as I have a surround sound system with the control right next me, which means I can mute the speakers within a ew seconds, leaving me only feeling half as pissed of as I was before, so thats my advice for anyone wanting some sort of a break from this ###... - OH AND WHILE IM TYPING THIS ITS ON AGAIN! FOR THE SECOND TIME! Give me a break!

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PissedOffPom
Gold Coast, AU
Oct 28, 2009 7:31 am EDT

OK HERES A PETITION AGAINS THIS CRAP! - GO AND SIGN IT, PLEEEEEASE! This has been going on for 4 years now! http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/harveynorman

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Chriso
Gold Coast, AU
Jan 26, 2010 3:58 am EST

Harvey Norman & Domayne Commercials are F%@$ing Annoying

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=296544079765

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Bubba J Farrti
NZ
May 22, 2010 4:49 am EDT

Harvey Norman stop shouting at me!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harvey-Norman-stop-shouting-at-me/123389717689225

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Matt Jones
Canberra, AU
Jun 04, 2010 7:52 am EDT

All these posts are playing into the hands of the megga wealthy [censor]...boycott the stores and tell your mates, the best form of advertising around...

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GREGGO
Hervey Bay, AU
Jan 24, 2012 7:36 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I could cheerfully strangle the screamin banshee who does the voice-over for the HN ads. Obviously they are trying to cram as much info as possible into 12 seconds, then repeat it at every ad break. We sometimes have to suffer 2 x HN, then 2 x Joyce Mayne in the one break! Most people I know feel the same and many boycott the stores. I've often felt sorry for the people advertising after these ads, as the whole break is often muted or the channel changed.
Am in the process of starting up a site for people to complain about "Banning the Banshee"
Also get on to your local stations. Only problem there is the money they are making from HN.

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Azza59
US
Apr 10, 2017 4:12 pm EDT

Harvey Norman's advertising campaigns on tv and radio are killing my spirit. I try to hide from them but they are EVERYWHERE
The severe lack of creativity of the ad styles, the smother tactics and screaming monologues make me cringe. The insensitivity to the listener (and watcher) is abusive and serves only to remind me that we are consumers, consumers, consumers. I also choose to boycott the stores and anytime an ad comes on a channel i and my family must change to another channel - often they are playing same HN add on another channel. HN If you insist on running 24/7-365 advertising heed these posts and maybe spend some of your billions and hire some creative advertising professionals to attempt to downgrade the torture. GH you are a classic example of money doesn't buy style!

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Emma-Lea80
Swan Hill, AU
Jun 17, 2017 2:13 am EDT

go and buy yourself a beautiful and amazing lounge from Harvey Norman and hide behind it. At least when you're hiding you'll be looking at just another one of their amazing products :)

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Craigyboy
AU
Jun 28, 2018 5:24 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

If HN stopped advertising Australia wide they could reduce their prices dramatically, because the cost of advertising is just added to their goods. I recently purchased an oven $300 cheaper in Sydney from a lot smaller company which offered free delivery - they don't advertise! The television and radio ads are so repetitious and have a screaming loud type of presentation. These ads drive me nuts, they owe me a new tv remote control and the volume switch on the radio doesn't work because I have to repeatedly tune out from their absolutely annoying commercials. Do these ads really work? Do HN really get customers to come into their store based on the belief that every week they have a "SALE" (of some kind) which is going to be better that the SALE they had the week before?
Please Mr Harvey, change your strategy, for all our sakes!

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Mr Pockets
AU
Jul 06, 2018 5:49 am EDT

Amen to all the above, as a trade I listen to music at least 9-10hrs a day, but the rediculous volume of HN/Domaine ads is nothing short of an ear-f@#king! I too (like many of my workmates) refuse to shop there as a result. More and more guys on sites, including myself, now stream music to avoid the daily drilling.
The only thing I can perhaps contribute is suggesting you all send a simple text or email to the broadcaster/station you are listening to to “share your displeasure” (eg: “STOP PLAYING HARVEY F’N NORMAN / DOMAINE ADS!”)every time you hear one of these obnoxious commercials, and encourage all others who are on the same page to do the same (go social media!). Imagine the inconvenience it would pose to these broadcasters who are responsible for airing this crap if they were to receive 1000’s of texts/emails on a daily basis.
I’m all for Australian companies employing Australians but when you are smacked in the face with super repetitive shouty commercials on all forms of media 24/7, I’ll be doing my shopping in the quiet solitude that is Amazon or eBay. Screw HN!

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rolla_83
US
Jan 21, 2022 8:05 pm EST

Harvey Norman and Joyce Mayne commercials... the mute button on my remote is wearing out

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