A month or so ago, All State, one of the nation’s motor vehicle insurance giants, debuted a series of ads featuring actor Dean Winters, better known for his stint on NBC’s 30 Rock as Dennis Duffy.
The series, dubbed “Mayhem is Coming” is brilliant. For example, in the below ad, Winters mockingly portrays the role of a teenage girl and what happens when girls text while driving after becoming “emotionally compromised.” The spot works, and it works well, capitalizing on the truth that is texting while driving and the fact that almost every damn person on the road is scared poopless by teenage drivers.
Now, Geico…infamous in the ad world for the Gecko, their digital pitchman. How long do Gecko’s live anyway? The dude should have been buried in a cardboard box by now. Don’t even get me started on Geico’s competing-pitchmen…the Cavemen. Horrible commercials, absolutely depressing.
They did however, hit a home run earlier this year with the infamous “pothole” spot, where a sports car has its tire flattened by a pot hole while exiting a downtown parking garage late at night. The pothole speaks to the driver, in a Britney Spears-esque southern draw and has quite the personality.
Why can’t we see more of these? The Gecko is back…
About the Author
Brooks A. Brown is the founder and principal of Shout Out LLC, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based marketing, public relations, and communications firm serving clients throughout the nation.
