Beware of This Man

He is the cause of accidents that occur in your every day life. His lists of offenses are many but I will try to name a few:

· Reeking havoc in your attic

· Distracting drivers while jogging

· Throwing cheerios at you while screaming, “Mommy!”

· Impersonating a GPS device

· Misleading you about the condition of your blind spot

If you see him call your local Allstate agent immediately! Do not confront him or allow him in or around your car. He should only be viewed from a safe distance such as on your television.

The Allstate “Mayhem” advertising campaign produced by Leo Burnett Detroit is an audience pleaser. It grabs our attention relating to everyday life disasters and gives a face to mayhem so we can laugh at it.

The mayhem advertising campaign is effective because it appeals to credibility, logic and emotion. Allstate is a recognized national insurance company. According to their website, Allstate reported nineteen billion dollars in claims and related expenses for last year. Their symbol of good hands is easily identifiable to most people. It appears many people are in good hands with Allstate. The commercial adds credibility by assuming that most people have seen or been in a car accident. We can relate in one-way, shape, or form to an accident, making the idea of an accident not far-fetched.

Knowing that accidents do happen, the commercial logically suggests that Allstate provides full coverage, even under unusual circumstances. Allstate cleverly refutes claims from other insurance companies calling them expensive. The commercial states that people who named their own price on car insurance, or simply people who wanted to save a little bit of money, could be paying an enormous out of pocket charge because their car insurance will not cover a certain type of accident.

There are some errors of reasoning in the commercial. We might assume that all drivers are inattentive on the road causing accidents frequently. It is not unreasonable; however not as funny either, to expect the driver of the Dodge truck to see the Jeep’s turn signal and slow down to allow her to safely change lanes. Some people might even think that Dean Winters is the real cause of accidents and as long as he is not around we are safe. Overall the commercial uses a slippery slope fallacy that assumes the end result of not checking your blind spot will result in a car accident.

Drivers who need all inclusive coverage, people who fear having an accident, and parents of teenage drivers are all part of the intended audience for this commercial. It gives them enough cause to seriously consider Allstate or increase customer satisfaction if they already are. The commercial dramatically demonstrates the effects of an accident. The feeling you could have to pay out of pocket on top of the accident makes the call to action even stronger. This feeling is also what makes this commercial effective. Most people can laugh when Dean Winters is spinning around outside of a car but it is very different when you picture yourself or a loved one in the same situation.

I currently have my insurance with another national insurance company. Reviewing this commercial has given me an opportunity to think about switching. The humor in the advertising campaign is attractive and something I can relate to, making it appealing. For now I will wait until I see what future mischief Dean Winters causes. I will definitely not be inviting him over to my home or give him a ride in the near future.