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A lot of the posts on here tend to be more serious or thoughtful, generally depending on how homesick I am or how much I'm reading the news. However, this one is more playful. I keep meaning to write it, but each time I start writing it in my head, I hear something new that I want to add in.

Adverts, or commercials, are everywhere here. The most weird placement is during the baseball TV commentary, when halfway through a discussion point they will name drop a sponsor and their tag line ("That play was brought to you by Geico - 15 minutes could save you 15%") as if it's not a weird thing to do. Every part of a game is sponsored, from highlights to half time shows and even the post match interviews. The strangest thing that I only realized on going back to the UK for a whirlwind weekend is that there is no gambling here on sports - no Bet365 odds at half time or William Hill shops on every corner (also means no football accumulators...probably a good thing).

My favourite commercials (as I will call them as I prefer the term) are the ones on radio, especially those on local radio stations. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think these are particular to the US, but a) I listened almost exclusively to commercial-free BBC radio in the UK and b) a lot of these observations make me laugh. So here are my favourite radio commercial observations:

1) The use of the show's presenter in commercials - this happens both at the local and national level, with even bit part members of the Elvis Doran (think Chris Moyles just older and gayer) show getting in on the act. It's very confusing to hear them discussing something and then break for a commercial, only for them to be on air delivering the commercial. I guess that's half the point, but I heard one segment where 4 of the 5 commercials were done by the show's presenter. I also love the local DJ (Jadd on Z107) who speaks like a teenager and has sold his soul to just about everyone in a 10 mile radius. Listening to him trying to get hyped about Pandora bracelets or the local credit union makes me chuckle.

2) Small local business - most people buy in professional voice overs or actors, but my favourite commercials by far are the ones done by the people who actually own the business. They always sound so forced and corny that I can't help but laugh, especially when they try to insert a joke but forget they can't hear your laughter and so leave an awkward second of silence. Pure radio gold.

3) The pervasiveness of Geico - while you'll hear most commercials on repeat for a good month or so at a time, Geico (a large national insurance provider) seems to have gone for the scatter gun approach. In the last week, I must have heard at least a dozen difference commercials, ranging from advice from your shadow to things that will make you feel good. At the heart is the same message about why you should choose Geico (and I could probably reel them off for you, which shows the success) but the sheer cost involved makes me wonder if the effort is worth it. I also sometimes wonder who comes up with the themes, as a lot of them are incredibly random and not related to insurance at all.

4) Political ads - these were way over the top during the run up to the election, especially with the above mentioned continuous repetition. However, they still pop up every now and then, and recently I heard a negative ad slamming one of the New Hampshire senators. There's no election any time soon and the ad was sponsored by a group not affiliated with any political party or organization (I know because they have to tell you at the end). It struck me as bizarre that this is a legitimate form of campaigning, yet if I was to do and say the same things about a random member of the public, it could be construed as slander. Interesting thoughts.

The best part of having fun with the commercials is that they're not my favorite part of the radio experience. I was concerned that I would miss radio 1 and 4 a lot, and to begin with, I only listened to the stations that Kelsey and I listened to as we drove around on holiday. However, I now have my Chris Moyles alternative in the morning (until Sophie starts repeating what she hears - the show is definitely NSFW some days!), NPR (think radio 4 but more random) as well as sports radio with really feisty presenters and some good country in the mix too. Long commutes to work don't seem as boring any more!