You are now entering Ad Space, a realm of commercials, brought before us so we might examine how they work, and discuss why we both love and hate them so. So it is written …
The Product:
Progressive Insurance
The Promotions:
The Pitch:
… we didn’t really have a pitch for buying insurance. We just wanted to do some jokes about stereotypical “parent stuff”.
This ad campaign bugs me. And it bugs me all the more because it’s legitimately funny.
It’s not hilarious, but a lot of its observational humor is decent enough. I’ll be enjoying these ads, having a good time … right up until they piss me off.
Now, obviously the premise of a life coach whose whole business is helping “young homeowners who are turning into their parents” is meant to be absurd. Trouble is, these ads never settled on where that absurdity lies. Is the idea that “turning into your parents”, while it’s a problem a lot of people have, hiring a dedicated professional like Dr. Rick to help with it is too much? Or is the absurd thing that “turning into your parents” is viewed as a problem, and Dr. Rick is a charlatan taking advantage of it?
These ads contain many instances of the young homeowners being clueless about modern technology and social customs, to the annoyance of those around them. But just as often, the things Dr. Rick admonishes them for are harmless style choices, like hanging a “Live Laugh Love” sign on the wall or creating decorative tissue box covers – derided for no other reason than it’s something their parents would do.
By lumping legit character flaws together with simple preferences, it conflates the two and comes off as, just, unpleasantly judgmental.
What especially gets my goat is how they say not to use empty butter tubs to store leftovers. Like, that would honestly be a good idea, economically and environmentally! But, no, the ad encourages us to be wasteful instead, motivated by what I can only call middle age rebellion. Makes me want to smack Dr. Rick in the face and tell ’em there are different strokes for different folks.
…
Yes, that is something my parents always used to say. Why do you ask?