The Amway ads are back on the tube, but this time for a completely different reason.

       If you ever lack for something to talk about when you and friends get together, here is a sure fire topic to get everyone up in arms.  Just ask if anybody has ever had an Amway salesperson in his or her home... then duck for cover.

      The vile commentary that flows out of that conversation may surprise you. The gist of it will be something like, "Yeah, my brother-in-law came over with his soap suds to sell and he would not leave.  We had to kick him out!"

      Such is the public perception of the Amway Company which for a time, because of this gawd awful image, actually changed its moniker on the eve of the 2006 contest for governor.

      Here's why.  Dick DeVos who was the GOP nominee is the son of the co-founder of the Amway brand. The Democrats knew if they linked DeVos to Amway, they could tap into the reservoir of resentment from all those families who could not get rid of that relative in the living room.

      Sensing this, Alticor, the reincarnation of Amway, ran a series of positive TV spots in the midst of the campaign hoping against hope that the ads would insulate Dick from Amway fallout.

    Of course, the ads did not, the Democrats continued to play the DeVos/Amway card and you know who beat DeVos going away.

       But now they are back on the air. No campaign to worry about this time other than the campaign to re-brand Amway as a positive company ready to sell you "quality" products. 

       "Just contact an Amway sales representative" the ad concludes.

        Yep, that's when the fun begins.