Topic #1 -- Advertising

The one advertisement campaign that came to mind was the commercials for Allstate Insurance company. Now they are funny little commercials and have a cute catch phrase of "Protect you from mayhem". Plus they have entertaining commercials starring you guessed it , Mayhem! These commercials are you normal thirty second commercials, but boy do they pack a lot into them. These commercials usually appear during prime time television hours , following popular TV programs such as Big Bang, and are broadcasted on a wide range of channels, to what i think is to get the best exposure.

Heck there is even a Facebook page for these commercials! Mayhem FaceBook Page

 There is also a site that is dedicated to the actor that portrays this bringer of mayhem., and who has a astonishing career. Brief look at the face behind mayhem

I find it interesting that Allstate is using everyday incidents like teenage driver, GPS and wild life to play on people's fear of the unknown and "Oh my god that could happen to me!" I think in doing this they are getting a consumer to be like" I need that insurance!" because the insurance is saying I understand what happens day to day and we are the best out there to help you. Which shows that Allstate is playing the hidden - fear appeal of their consumers, to try to persuade that only Allstate can keep you and your loved one's from these day to day happenings. Allstate also uses Myth Analysis in these ad's, by presenting a common known problem and saying "Hey we can fix your problem waaaay better than the other companies out there!" By doing so, Allstate engages the viewer and helps them relate to the story that is happening in the commercials. Allstate also is showing that they have easy solutions and will be there more so than the other insurance companies, which may not include all the features that Allstate has to offer the consumer.

This national campaign defiantly appeals to young and old alike because of the entertainment factor, but I really think their target group is people in their 20's - 50's. I say this because with the entertainment, they shove info about their coverage that any consumer might ask in that age bracket and how they can solve any problem you might run into while driving. Also Allstate uses the technology as examples of how day to day living can go wrong. Such examples as cellphones distracting people(aka the teenage driver), GPS giving you last minute turns  and how even adjusting a satellite dish can cause Mayhem.

 By including all these day to day examples in a funny way, Allstate makes sure that you keep coming back to find out what else can happen and that to make sure you, the consumer will remember who and what they are and have to offer.

I also found a great site that instructs people on how to create a little of their own mayhem, and this site talks about how to do it in great detail on half the budget. How to make your own Mayhem

In the end I think this is effective because of the entertainment, story line and the fact that Allstate show they understand accidents happen and they will be there for you. Even after getting hit by a teenage girl!