Entry #5: Mayhem

     Good day, reader.

    In this blog post, I will be analyzing Allstate's Tailgater Mayhem advertisement. Let's get right to it.

    The intended feeling these Allstate Mayhems videos want the audience to feel is amusement. All of these ads are humorous; they're not meant to be completely serious. The thing is, Allstate's advertisements are clever in the way that they use and incorporate humor within their videos. The accidents and scenarios that occur throughout the ads are possible incidents that can happen, and have happened. There is a certain irony in making everything lighthearted. Allstate recognizes that these are troubling and devastating events that everyday people deal with, however, people watching these advertisements can have a laugh and a relatable moment. Thoughts like "yeah, I've been there." and "oh, that must suck!" are intended reactions. You cannot engage the same response by blatantly demanding an audience to get insurance now. They build up to their message through humor and a twisted character, Mayhem, setting up these terrifying events.

    Obviously, Allstate means for people to be insured by their company. A way they execute this message is by instilling fear into the audience. Mayhem's character questions the audience with things like, "will your home insurance cover everything?", "has your insurance been reliable?", "are you satisfied with your insurance?", you get the idea. The point is, whatever insurance you are on now, Allstate wants you to switch to theirs instead. These ridiculous scenarios open up numerous possibilities of blows to your money, but there is always the chance that they can happen. Using beauty influencers as an example is a perfect demonstration. Allstate is drawing in the crowd that is heavy into makeup and beauty. There are details implanted in the set of the ad to create the beauty influencer atmosphere, such as the beauty brushes in front of the mirror, the cutesy room, and the cheek masks. Saying things like "thumbs down emoji" also correlates to pop culture and social media. Those who have ironed their hair and accidentally left their flat iron on a towel can relate and laugh to the absurdity of this video. The flat iron catching on fire on top of the towel incites panic into the audience, as again, there is always a possibility of an incident like this occurring. While Mayhem does this intentionally, it is to sell the idea that you should always be protected in cases like these. Risking your safety and financials is detrimental to your livelihood. Allstate reminds their audience of this, almost as if they are looking out for the betterment of future consumers and clients.

    Overall, while Allstate's ads are meant for you to want to get insured through their company, there are multiple methods they use to reach that point. They pick the audience they want to cater to for that specific video, then run with it. Mayhem creates a situation that is absurd, but realistic in cases of tragedy. It all boils down to making sure that you are insured and can avoid taking the full blow of costs. Don't you see how much Allstate cares for your wellbeing? At the end of the day however, they are right. Make sure you have good insurance!