The point of a commercial is to make me want to buy a product. I don’t have a degree in media studies or anything, but that is one of those ideas the seems to be just plain common sense.
I don’t think it bodes well for a company, when their commercial infuriates me so much I have to mute the TV when it comes on.
Allstate has done a damn fine job of alienating me from their product with their commercials. I don’t know who the ad agency is that Allstate contracted with or who at Allstate approved these commercials, but I want to know what type of market research was done that concluded:
The best way to sell insurance to families is to shit all over boyfriends, husbands, and fathers.
The first of these terrible commercials is the “superior drivers” ad.
Apropos of nothing, this girl decides to rub her safe driving bonus check in her date’s – a presumably boyfriend’s – face in public. Interrupting him an humiliating him.
First, of all, why would an insurance company bring up the “who are better drivers” debate? From an insurance standpoint, it’s about a dead even split. When you look at the numbers, men and women get into different types of accidents. Women hit stuff more, but men do more damage. Women will side-swipe a car while parking. A man will speed and crash. It seems like even getting into this debate is pointless.
But just look at that girl’s face. Look at the condescending look as she breaks into Dennis Haysbert’s voice. It’s not the money that is making her happy. It is belittling her hapless, pajama-boy, boyfriend that gives her pleasure. It’s just mean.
Next is the “leaky pipe” ad for homeowners insurance.
The message of this commercial is “you need Allstate insurance because your husband is a pathetic shit who doesn’t know what end of the hammer to hold.” The wife mocks her husband, TWICE. Once to his face and then again in front of the repair man.
If this commercial had a sequel, I’m pretty sure it would be the repair man fucking the guy’s wife.
Last is the “all alone” ad.
Yeah, fuck dad. Nobody has to listen to him. Nobody wants to. He’s just driving the car, probably paying for the road trip to wherever they are going. Nobody has to care about his feelings.
Look at the look mom gives dad.
She doesn’t give a shit about her husband. She’s probably listening to Eat Pray Love on her Audible ap, thinking about fucking the repair man from the last commercial.
I just don’t get why Allstate has chosen this sales pitch.
Why should I give my hard earned money to a company that doesn’t respect me? The answer is: I shouldn’t. I’m with GEICO and will not be switching to Allstate… ever.
As people reevaluate their insurance carriers in the wake of all these storms, maybe other husbands and fathers will feel the way I do and decided not to go with Allstate. The only way to make these people learn is to kick them right in the wallet.
P.S.
It seems Aflac has contracted with the same ad agency. Their commercials were simply annoying. I can deal with annoying. The “dad’s choice” commercial needs to be the first and last of the no respect for dad type.
Mom and Junior don’t seem to really care about the condition of dad’s face. Just how dad’s face will cost them their trip to Hawaii. As long as Mom and Junior get to go to the Luau, does it really matter that dad won’t ever be able to eat solid food again.
Maybe I should do commercial for a health insurance company where mom is in labor but dad doesn’t want to pay for the anesthesiologist to give her an epidural because the anesthesiology copay will dip into his bass boat fund.
No, wait, that’s fucking horrifying. I can see the protests now.
It’s just as bad when you do it to dad. So as an Aflac customer, knock that shit off.
Denigrating male family figures has been the norm for the idiot box for some time. iirc Cheerios had some commercials a while back ripping on dads for not eating what ‘mom’ told them to. Most sitcoms show the dad as a naive, blundering, incompetent idiot.
Just one more reason not to bother w/ TV.
@Thirdpower:
General Mills partially restored themselves, IMO, with the Peanut Butter Cheerios “How to Dad” commercial. It portrays what could be a stay-at-home-dad who has a good relationship with his wife and all his kids.
Those are bad. But it wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Liberty mutual and their everybody(mom,dad,kids everyone) is an idiot campaign.
Duh… how do a four way and a lifting thingy work… duh…
A four way? Spaghetti, chili, cheese, and either onions or beans.
Commercials on tv and radio have been “all men are idiots” for years. Its why theres a mute button and an off switch. I dont buy products from companys that think im stupid..
When I studied commercial art and advertising (before I changed majors), it was explained that women still make most of the purchasing decisions for a household (and watch more TV) than men. So while the husbands are out making the money, the TV ads ’empower’ women to spend it by appealing to the wives’ ego. Ad agencies do it because it works.
Yep, as curby says — “all men are idiots” is an advertising standard. It irritates the crap out of me.
Which one was it, Geico or AAA or someone, who had the ad where the car coasts to a stop with a flat. Dad starts to speak, Mom holds up a finger (just one) and silences him. Little boy in the back starts to speak, Mom holds up a finger. Then holds up her phone, and with that condescending “I’m better than you and watch me prove it” grin, opens her app, clicks on their location in the middle of the Mojave or somewhere, and before she can even lower her phone the repair guy is there (surprisingly, a male) to replace the flat. She nods, repair guy nods, tire’s replaced. She’s got that smug grin the whole time. Kid in the back breaks into some Spanish riff on the acoustic guitar to cement how superior Mom is. Yep…that’s a service I’ll never buy.