Want to get buyers’ attention? Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh

Tina Fey is a superstar, absolutely adored and respected by millions. So, when she lets someone lick her face in an TV commercial it gets a lot of attention.

My first reaction was: Yuck!

Then I saw it for what it really was: Allstate’s latest salvo in the battle of the ridiculous in the war over the $280 billion automobile insurance market.

First there was Geico’s gecko, the company’s computer-generated, British-accented, reptilian mascot who forever changed the way car insurance is marketed.

Geico’s gecko led to Flo, the friendly, white-uniformed and ever-so-competent cashier in Progressive’s neat and tidy insurance superstore.

Farmers Insurance entered the fray with the tweed-adorned Professor Burke who dispenses age-old wisdom at a make-believe university for new insurance agents.

Liberty Mutual got in the game with the dynamic duo of LiMu Emu and Doug, two zany crusaders who are sworn to fight the crime of paying too much for car insurance.

All this prompted Allstate Insurance to put less emphasis on their long-time spokesperson Dennis Haysbert, otherwise known as the “good hands guy.” Haysbert, it seems, appeals to an older, more traditional customer, like yours truly.

As Allstate was losing market share among young people, the company introduced their “Mayhem” campaign featuring the actor Dean Winters. Over the past few years, Winters has personified an array of mischievous forces that can cause mayhem, including the rambunctious Saint Bernard puppy who licks Tina Fey’s face as she’s trying to keep her eyes on the road.

So what’s going on here?

First, car insurance is a very big business. According to J.D. Power and Associates, there are nearly 200 million privately owned cars and trucks in the United States and nearly a third of their owners are shopping for new policies or renewing existing polices every year.

The problem is that insurance – while quite serious and important - is boring. And the major insurance companies’ products are all basically the same.

So they’ve all invested heavily in creative advertising campaigns that use humor and outrageous situations to attract new customers and build loyalty among existing policyholders. They’re even hoping viewers will share the commercials with their friends.

Does it work? Apparently so. Academic studies show that funny advertising appeals to people. It increases recall and makes people feel good about a brand. After all, we all appreciate a good laugh, don’t we?

And, even more telling, the major car insurance companies spend more than $4.5 billion a year on TV advertising, according to Statista.

So, if you’re selling a boring, me-too sort of product, you may want to inject more humor into your marketing messages. It’ll help your company break through the clutter and get people on your side.

But be careful. To be effective, your marketing must be relevant and relatable. Silly for silly’s sake doesn’t work.

Having a balance between comedy and solid information is the key to success.

For example, Geico’s humorous ads always close with, “15 minutes could save you 15%.” Liberty Mutual’s crime stoppers close with, “Only pay for what you need.” Allstate’s new Tina Fey ad closes with, “Get Allstate, where good drivers save 40%.”

One recent Progressive ad said it all: “You’re covered, you’re saving money, we’re here for you.”

In other words, auto insurance marketing is like a one-two punch: A strong, compelling message delivered in an engaging and funny way that lingers in people’s minds.

The lesson here was best articulated by the immortal Donald O’Connor in Gene Kelly’s 1952 classic, “Singin’ in the Rain:” If you want “the world at your feet, make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh!”

Adam Snitzer is a revenue strategy expert and president of Peak Revenue Performance, a consulting firm that specializes in helping companies attract more, high-paying customers. He can be reached at adam@peakrevenueperformance.com.