Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Farmers Insurance Water Craft: Professor Burke, and All State use different styles, but a similar theme for their commercials.

My prior review of Allstate "Ghost Riders" could almost be reused for the Farmers Insurance Water Craft commercial below.
I don't hate the Farmers Insurance Water Craft:Professor Burke commercial. I probably would not change the channel if it came on. I find the old man picking up a young girl in a local bait shop (jail bait perhaps?) and then crashing his water boat into a tree with her on it, a provocative albeit sleazy message for an insurance company. Although I'm sure if I live to be his age I will change my tune.

I do wonder why the insurance agent didn't guess that it was grand dad taking his grand daughter for ride on the lake, I guess that's just less hip nowadays. Might have been funny actually. The salesmen guesses grand dad and grand daughter, and someone pats him on the head for being so naive.

What bothers me about the commercial is the message that having more coverage would somehow better protect the accident that occured. What about the bodily damage that most likely occurred to "dirty old dude and too young for him girl", and injuries that Farmers Insurance chose to pretend did not occur in their commercial?

That's actually irresponsible messaging from an insurance company.

Notice that neither dirty old dude, nor too young for him girl, have a cast, or crutches, or a neck brace? An accident that bad and the two come out relatively unscathed?

I understand the drive for insurance companies to be hip, energetic and "with it", so they can grab the attention of the I-Phone generation. But lets face reality, the moment insurance companies imply that insurance coverage "protects people by protecting their vehicles in bad accidents", they have strayed off the mark by ignoring the harsh reality that people get hurt real bad in those kind of accidents.

lol, I just got inspired with a bold idea for Farmers insurance, but that would only be shared after a consulting fee, I can't give everything away for free. In case anyone is wondering, the actor playing Dr. Burke is J.K. Simmons, and you can see his acting resume here.


If you are planning on creating or broadcasting a commercial and want an objective, outsiders point of view about your commercial, contact Alessandro Machi about his consulting services at...
info at alexlogic.com
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by Alessandro Machi at

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