You know how it is. You are watching commercial television and the commercial breaks are almost as long as the program sections. However, if you want to see the program, you have to sit through the commercials. On the other hand, you take it as an opportunity to leave the room. Yet, the makers of commercials know this: the volume on commercials is higher than the program. If you stay in the room, you hit the mute button or turn the volume down.
I am a couch potato, but not by choice. I am disabled. I must spend most of my day seated alone in my house with the television on. I do this to have some semblance of human contact. I forget the day of the week if it is not displayed on my telephone or laptop. I know my demographic: most of the commercials I ignore are for the unemployed, underemployed, elderly and disabled.
But, what is a commercial? A commercial is a short film that must in thirty seconds get your attention and convince you to spend money. If you do not watch, or if they do not repeat the product name often enough, you will not buy. I ignore most of them. They are unavoidable. However, I do stop to watch some.
I am in love with Flo, of Progressive Insurance. My automobile and homeowner’s insurance are with a different company. My love of Flo is not enough to get me to change my insurance carrier. But, I stop to watch when she comes on. That is how lonely I am: I am in love with a fictitious character.
I took it upon myself one day to go to the company’s website and leave a “contact us” note. I told them that Flo was their best asset. I described her attributes that make me love her and asked them if they would consider increasing the rotation of the commercial where a man has a romantic fantasy about Flo while shopping for insurance for his outdoor transportation. Perhaps you remember it. Progressive names it “Meant to Be Together”. There is a sequence of the man and Flo spending the day together outside camping, fishing, and enjoying other outdoor pastimes, while a song plays “It was the best day…” Then, Flo snaps him out of his revelry with a statement. I told them to file it under “fan mail for Flo”.
I may be delusional. However, after I told them that I loved Flo and that I wanted to see that commercial more often, in the following weeks, the commercial was shown more often.
I wrote them again, as they had been so kind to respond to my first e-mail, and thanked them for showing the commercial more often and asked if I could have an autographed 8×10 of Flo [1]. They replied that they were going to send two and a press kit, as I had mentioned that I wrote for Yahoo.
What is it about Flo that makes this series of commercials want me to stop and watch? Flo is attractive, but not too attractive. She is quirky. Her hair is teased into a small beehive with a fall and a blue headband. Her make up is a little dated. It is though somehow she is a throwback to the 1960’s idea of fashionable. Yet, that is not what makes me love her. She is always humorous, nonjudgmental, kind, compassionate, understanding, and never says any thing critical, no matter how stupid the comments of the people to whom she talks. She is shown as kind and accepting of all kinds of people, from all walks of life. Even bikers like Flo, and she likes them. That is why I love Flo. If I were to meet Flo, I would want to be her friend. Then I remember that Flo is a character, and I do not know if the actress, Stephanie Courtney, is like her.
I wish there were more people like her character. Too many people think that being trendy, conceited, and sarcastic is the way to win over people. Their attitude seems to be: “I am cooler than you are; you should be so lucky to be my friend”.
Yet my affection for Flo alone is not why I want to watch her commercials. Let us compare apples to apples. Why do I not watch the competitions’ commercials? This is what I have to choose from: a university with a stoic professor and eager students; a CGI lizard with an English accent; an odd man who never speaks and does side by side comparisons; an attractive African-American actor who speaks reassuringly with intelligent script; and an animated army officer screaming at me like a recruit. I have to admit that I would probably watch the hot African-American man, but only if he ever expressed an emotion. Why do I not look up when they come on? Why do I not want to stop and watch? Because, Flo and her comic, awkward situations give me a chance to see how this lovable character deals with this one. They are short films that tell an incredibly short, humorous story.
Flo is not the only woman featured in commercials. Why do I watch her while I go for another cup of tea when the others come on the television? They are beautiful women, probably models, who cavort with other young, beautiful people. No matter how much I use the products they hawk, I will never be young and beautiful surrounded by hot men. Their lives are perfect and their only concern is dry, flyaway hair. Give me a situation with which I might actually encounter. When I go out alone, with my cane, I do not find myself surrounded by beautiful young people with no problems. I find myself surrounded by real people with problems and too often attitude.
This is where I come back to Flo. When I go out shopping, I want to encounter people like Flo who will not judge me and deal patiently with me. I want to be greeted by a smiling, happy person who will listen to me and will respond with empathy and kindness. Flo would never give me attitude as though her job was not to help me.
Progressive Insurance advertising department’s success was the concept of Flo. The Flo campaign does what a successful commercial should do: present an entertaining short film that makes me stop and watch. Despite their success, I am not going to reconsider my insurance carrier because I enjoy their commercials. However, to stand out from the competition, ultimately they need to make you remember them when shopping for insurance. All of the insurance companies are doing the same thing: saying how superior their service is and how much you will save with them. They differ only in the spokesperson and the concept of the setting and approach. However, only Flo gives me an enjoyable, short film as opposed to a service and price comparison.
Perhaps the concept of a commercial as a short film is the key. Give us a story to watch. Some advertising agencies have done the same with their campaigns. Nevertheless, why do I stop to watch Progressive’s Flo commercials? It is not the service. It is not the product. It is not the price. It is the character Flo.
I once worked as a commercial artist, but not in advertising agency making television commercials. However, my advice as a consumer is to make a commercial that is a short film with a likeable recurring character.
I hate the term consumer. I am so much more than that. I am a person, with a life, and my day’s goal is not to spend money. Give us all more credit than that. Our lives consist of more than shopping. Be sensitive to us. We are not all young, beautiful people with few problems that your product will solve. Some of us are the truly average person with many problems that no purchase will solve.
Be sensitive to us. That is what Flo does. She cares about the people who come in and wants to help, and she will not care who we are, what our eccentricities are, and would never pass judgment on us. Flo is kind to everyone.
In the end, I love Flo not because of the product she sells, but for her personality. I wish there were more people like her. That is why I love Flo.
[Progressive has its own commercials posted on YouTube. Just type Progressive into the search engine and it will take you to over 100 commercials, mostly featuring Flo. However, I include this not because I am promoting Progressive: I want you to enjoy the humorous short films that feature Flo and perhaps you too will fall in love with this character. Pick out your insurance carrier on service and price on your own, without being persuaded by a commercial: they all claim the same thing.]
1. The headshot of Flo that is used with this article was sent as part of a press kit. Copyright release for use with this article was granted by Leah Knapp, Progressive Public Relations, November 7, 2011.