Geico, Progressive Insurance and Flo: Why Do Car Insurance Companies Have Such Annoying Ad Campaigns?

I wonder if the actress from the Progressive commercials is getting hate mail by now. She seems like a nice young lady, but those commercials have got to be one of the most annoying advertising strategies ever developed. Worse than nails on a chalkboard, more like tiny insects boring their way straight into your frontal lobe.

I’m not sure who came up with the campaign, but they need to be severely punished. None of that nancy-boy water boarding, I’m thinking iron maiden level torture or worse.

Maybe they should be locked in a room with this ad running on a loop.

The number one migraine-inducing aspect of those commercials is just the shear volume of them. There are so many... and they run all the time. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a Progressive commercial. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is or what channel you’re watching. Jump around and you’ll find at least half a dozen Progressive commercials waiting for you down the dial. It really has gotten out of control.

The first few may have been cute. Now I’m thinking about having my cable shut off. Every time I turn on the set, that perky abomination is there. I would walk out of any insurance office if the agents acted even remotely like Flo.

But it’s the other people I really don’t like: the potential customers. I can’t relate to them. Like the guy that gets way too excited and starts shouting about discounts. I don’t trust that guy. He seems like the type that’s holding on to a lot of pent-up anger. He’s likely to snap and plow his car into an intersection full of school children. I don’t think that’s a claim Progressive wants. The commercials make me question their judgement.

But it’s not just Progressive. Car insurance companies are everywhere. State Farm, All State, Nationwide, eSurance, Safe Auto, the General, Geico. Who is buying up all this insurance? I mean really, how many people are looking for car insurance at any given time. If you went by the ads you’d think it’s a commodity more consumed than milk.

I don’t see how these companies justify the results of these marketing campaigns?

This thing should be watching ad executives.

Geico has three or four different themes and they’re all annoying. The caveman thing hasn’t been relevant since Rick-rolling was still vogue. I’m just flat-out confused by the money with the eyeballs. The Gecko would have been snatched up and eaten by a hawk a long time ago if he’s as well traveled as he’s portrayed in the ads. I’m starting to think he might not really even work for Geico. He might just be an actor.

The reason I don’t like this commercials is because, at least for me, they send mixed messages. They make me question the company’s leadership, competence and professionalism.

Don’t let your potential customers do that. Humor in an ad campaign is good. But don’t make your brand the butt of the joke. You believe in your product and want people to know how great it is. Don’t give them a chance to question it.

When was the last time you heard the name Coca-Cola and pictured the folks sitting in the board room.

Coca-Cola's Boardroom, c. 1931 - 2 years after going Cocaine free!

Skewering the competence or direction of your company, brand or leadership is generally a losing bet, even if you’re going for self-deprecating humor. You can’t trust that people will get it. And that’s a bad message. You might get people talking about your brand, but that doesn’t always translate to sales.

Chris Vanasdalan is a freelance writer who has a love-hate relationship with TV commercials. He doesn't really think bad ad executives deserve to be tortured, just fired.

You can follow him on Twitter or e-mail him here.