I am personally drawn to Progressive's commercials for its comic nature. The fact that Progressive offers its customers a price compare tool, entices customers to at least check their site or call an agent for a quote. There is an underlying fact not always recognized and never present on the ads, today the vast majority of insurance rates are based on credit score and claim history. By experience, I can affirm that Progressive Insurance attends to customers with lower credit scores, poor driving record and claims. The credit agency, Experian's announced that the average credit score of U.S. citizens is 687, which is considered below the best lowest score of 720 (sources: http://www.governing.com/gov-data/economy-finance/average-credit-score-by-state.html , http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/debt-management/average-credit-score1.htm). Considering these facts to be true, Progressive does have an advantage over its competitors based on that average. The option to compare prices was a very clever idea to attract customers without explicitly telling them that their credit isn't good enough to qualify for good rates with other companies.
Progressive
Both companies use a distinct way of conveying their messages. Although both ads used celebrities (ethos), Progressive seemed more geared towards a comedic appeal (pathos), while All State chose more of a logical approach (logos) by providing statistics related to losses. Another fact suggesting Allstate's commercial targets a different audience is that it airs during prime time TV, when most people are back home from work. Is it fair to say that people with a higher level of education are more inclined to listen to a more logical appeal? Possibly!
All State
Well known competitors of Progressive are: State Farm, Farmers, Nationwide, All State, among many others. Their ads appeal to a diverse audience, whether it is because of the scenery, jingles, sports' sponsorships, or recruiting famous spokespersons. I catch my 7 year-old singing along with the jingles or repeating their catchy frases such: "Nationwide is on your side" or "Jake from State Farm." Here are a few more examples of catchy Insurance commercials:
State Farm
Farmers
The necessity of having to carry Insurance generated great competition in the Industry urging companies to invest heavily on their marketing. Creativity is playing a huge role on the race to gain customer's interest and trust, and making a lasting impression to influence their choices. We are well served with a plethora of options to choose from. My question to you is: Is Nationwide really on your side?
