Difference between revisions 91012458 and 93865932 on enwiki

{{unreferenced|date=October 2006}}
[[Image:BwcMarlinNoSweep.jpg|thumb|The hands are set to about 10:11]]

'''10:08''', 8 minutes past 10, is roughly the time analog [[watches]] are set to in most advertisements, though actual times shown vary between about 10:08 and 10:10. There are several reasons offered by watch companies, many of them [[psychology|psychological]], and none of them verifiable as the actual origin of the practice: 

(contracted; show full)
* At 10 o'clock in the morning, the day is young. There is still time to accomplish many things.
* 10 o'clock is the time at which people typically wake up if they are able to sleep in. 10:08 is thus associated with weekend, leisure and relaxation.
⏎
* 10:08 in leet means "loob," which is faintly sexual and thus encourages arousal in tv viewers

Oddly enough, 10:08 is also the time at which a [[12-hour clock|12-hour]] digital display will have the maximum number of digit "segments" turned on. However, digital watches in commercials are more often set to 10:58.

Not all watch companies use this type of setting in their ads, though the majority do.

[[Urban legend]]s are frequently heard to the effect that the watches are set to commemorate the hour at which some famous person died: often [[Abraham Lincoln]] or [[John F. Kennedy]]. All such stories prove to be several hours off when calculated.

==References==
* Answer on [http://archives.stupidquestion.net/sq82798.html stupidquestion.net]
* Cecil Adams's [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_330.html Straight Dope article]

[[Category:Advertising]]
[[Category:Clocks]]