Entry #5. To buy or not to buy

                                

    Do you ever have those moments when you are watching an ad and forget that it is just an ad? When you get so caught up in it, that you forget to be annoyed with how it interrupted the video or show you were watching? Sometimes ads pull you in with how engaging they are. How do they do it? How are they able to influence you so much with just a few clips and words? Let us take a look at what exactly made this ad from Allstate so effective.

    

    Throughout the ad it shows the actor as a cat. He is seen causing problems left and right. He leaves the tap on, causing the ceiling to cave in, knocks a candle over, and eats a pet bird. It is a very comical ad, and engaging to watch. They do not just end with the havoc caused by the "cat", but with a satisfying conclusion saying, "So get Allstate and be better protected from mayhem." The creators of this ad are wanting the audience to feel not only amused, but also safe. They are an insurance company.  That is their purpose. They are trying to appeal to viewers value of safety. They are promoting the idea the you should be able to do what you want, like get a cat, without having to worry about the problems it could cause. 

    The main audience for this particular ad is home owners. They are the ones that need insurance and coverage for their house, like the young couple did in the ad. Allstate has many different ads that are made to relate to different people. For this one, they show a regular, relatable couple in their home, as it slowly gets more and more run down. It seems to me that the creators of the ad presented the ad in a funny relatable way, because they believe humor is a better way of attracting people, rather than scaring them into buying insurance. They chose a successful, desirable approach. 

    The ad is not only relatable, and appealing to the audience's sense of safety, but also shows an understanding of American culture. We value comfort and ease. Allstate wants to show a comfortable home with a few problems, but an easy solution to those problems. Allstate is the solution they are suggesting. They are appealing to American people's desire for ease and comfort, by giving them a easy and comfortable solution. 

    It is really interesting to understand why exactly some ads work, and others do not. It is important to know why people are attracted to certain products. Do they actually need it, or is the ad just so appealing that they want the product? It is interesting to see how ad creators actually analyze people more than we realize. They are able to subtly influence people into thinking that what they are selling is necessary. Sometimes products are necessary, but many times they are not. This just shows how predictable human reactions can be. So before you buy something, try to analyze the ad that influenced you, in order to determine what you actually need.