BBC News writer, John Camm, outlines 26 rules of modern advertising. Most of these apply here in the US as well. Samples include:

4. Mums are often harassed but NEVER depressed/unable to cope.
14. Men are inherently lazy/slobbish; women are the reverse.

Here's a couple of my own advertising peeves:

All children are def rappers and possess the ability to perform incredibly complex breakdance moves when exposed to new department-store fashions.

Kids who consume sugary breakfast cereals are invariably into extreme sports.

Adults in kids commercials are always portrayed as complete idiots, or largely clueless.

Hamburgers from fast-food outlets never have smashed buns or sauce dripping out of one end.

The application of large amounts of perfume or body spray never fails to render a member of the opposite sex helpless with desire (helpless with an asthma attack is more likely).

Feel free to contribute your own.

via the Presurfer