As a consumer, we are exposed to hundreds of different advertisements each day. The challenge advertisers face, therefore, is to craft messages that are unique, engage consumers at the right time, and in the right place. Brands must learn how to create messages that speak with consumers, not at them. One category that has seen a number of competitors excel creatively over the years is in insurance. In this highly-saturated market, it is important for brands to leverage a value proposition and assume top-of-mind position in the minds of consumers. Three brands that I believe have done particularly well include: Geico, AllState, and State Farm.
Over the years, Geico has utilized its wildly popular tagline “15 minutes can save you 15% or more on car insurance” brilliantly. I believe after conducting both secondary and primary research, the insight Geico derived was that managing insurance is seen as a petty and time-consuming task with little benefits. Geico recognized that there was an opportunity in the category to differentiate it product and pursued a strategy to accomplish the feat. To address this issue, they utilize satire and humor to deliver messages that prove that working with Geico is both easy and productive, in fact, so easy “a caveman could do it.” Geico’s messaging resonates well with a variety of demographics, as seen by its exponential growth over the last 20 years. I think that its use of animals and characters has made the company memorable and has further helped brand recall against competitors like AllState and State Farm who have been more inclined to use people.
Once the number two brand in insurance, AllState has recently lost ground to Geico and slipped to number three on the list. This is not to say that it has done a poor job of advertising. In fact, I love the “Mayhem” campaign it has run over the last few years. I believe the key insight that its researchers found were that people were not aware of the potential dangers that lurk in their lives. Thus, by making them aware of the things they should insure, and by bringing it to the consumer’s attention, they can be the first in brand recall when it comes to people filing for protection. I think that AllState is targeting a slightly older demographic that includes parents by the way they have portrayed their consumer in certain commercials. For example, in one commercial they urge for parents to consider their “texting teenage girl” when considering car insurance. 
The company’s message is very malleable, and its tagline “so get AllState and be better protected from Mayhem like Me,” can apply to a variety of scenarios, allowing for unique concepts in each advertisement.
State Farm is the largest insurer in the country. State Farm is unique in that it sells policies primarily through agencies. I believe that it has leveraged this value proposition, to emphasize that it can offer premier customer service. The insight they likely derived was that people are nervous when it comes to making decisions and need someone that can guide them along the way. They highlight the fact that they can provide this comfort through their light-hearted jingle, “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” State Farm differentiates themselves from competitors as a brand. They identify what makes their brand unique and bring that to the forefront of their messaging.
Insurance is not a “sexy” category, and it is often hard to differentiate from competitors that essentially provide the same product. Each brand ensures its consumers that it is there to protect them. What Geico, AllState, and State Farm do effectively, however, is find something unique about their company in the marketing mix, and promote it heavily in their advertising. This is what has made each company successful.
MSW
Content Miketing 