Like A Good Neighbor, State Farm Shouldn't Be There

Let's all sing along, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm ...."

I bet you finished that sentence without even thinking about it, right?

State Farm Insurance has promised you they would be your good neighbor for as long as I can remember. Their commercials evoked feelings of caring and support and always being there when the unexpected occurs.

That is, until recently, when their new campaign broke.  And, boy, what a departure they have made from their past.

State Farm's new ad campaign takes their brand down a completely different path. Or in my opinion, down a cold, dark alley.

Some choice lines of copy include:

"I told you you were too close, but nobody ever listens to me.  No, no, no, no, no. Who does that? Back their car into another car?  You know what? You make my head numb. I can't even .... uh!"

At this point in the commercial, her companion begins to sing, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" in an off-key, half talking-half singing voice. And - presto - the State Farm agent magically appears, in between the two ... as if to act as a mediator.

As the agent promises to take care of the accident, the woman asks for a new boyfriend. Suddenly, her boyfriend is shirtless, with ripped muscles hanging out for all to see. When he asks the agent to return the favor for him, his girlfriend is magically transformed into a sexy woman, who is scantily clothed in a low neckline shirt and short shorts.

This is one of the few times in my life that I am actually speechless. State Farm has completely turned their brand on its head.  What a departure from the neighborly feel-good ads of the last decade!

Maybe they were trying to be funny.  But, that begs the question, why would any insurance company want to turn an auto accident into a joke?

I'm stumped.

You just watched the commercial - please share your thoughts on what you think State Farm Insurance was trying  to do with this ad...

Elizabeth Edwards Has Died at 61

Just one day after media outlets announced that Elizabeth Edwards was foregoing further treatment for cancer, the successful attorney and advocate of healthcare reform has died. The Washington Post has a detailed article on her life and legacy.

Jimmy John's Delivers ... Again

We all know that Jimmy John's has a quirky sense of humor. Sometimes the humor causes a bit of a smirk; at other times, we feel an outright laugh bubbling up out of nowhere.  Such is the case with a commercial I just saw yesterday.

The commercial opens with a woman in the height of labor. She screams, "Where's my husband?" as she clearly struggles to handle the pain of childbirth.  Going through labor pains without her husband by her side, she laments, "What am I going to do now?" As if to answer her own question, she grabs her cell phone and begins to dial.

Expecting the voice of her breathless husband, we are welcomed instead to a cheery hello of "Jimmy John's" on the other end of the phone.

As her Jimmy John's order is delivered to the hospital room just moments later, the nurse says,

"Now that's an impressive delivery!"

Ba-da-bing. Ba-da-bing.

Ah, but it's not over quite yet. Her husband hurriedly skids into the room just moments later, to excitedly ask, "What did you have?"

Her answer?  "Turkey sub, no mayo. What I always get."

On cue, the newborn baby cries.

Ah, it might be a little slapstick but I love how Jimmy John's freaky fast delivery is juxtaposed into the  delivery of a baby.  Humorous while simultaneously communicating the brand essence. Nice.

Super Bowl Survey

What If Julian Assange Were An Arab Muslim . . . .

I have a simple question about Julian Assange, the praised and scorned leader of the WikiLeaks enterprise, which has released scores of confidential governmental materials to media. Today, in a matter unrelated to the release of any documents, Assange was arrested in London for alleged sexual assaults that police contend occurred in Sweden earlier this year.

Dissenting Justice has not analyzed the WikiLeaks situation. Admittedly, WikiLeaks presents important questions regarding the First Amendment and the control of sensitive governmental information. Nonetheless, as the country engages in a debate regarding the appropriateness of Assange's behavior, I wonder whether his defenders' position and the often tentative US government responses would look the same if Assange were an Arab Muslim.

I find it difficult to imagine the public rhetoric surrounding Assange remaining the same under those circumstances. I suspect that many true progressives would defend Assange regardless of his identity. Yet, I am equally certain that many people who are either on the fence or opposed to Assange would demand vigorous governmental action against him if he were an Arab Muslim -- or, possibly, if he simply were not white and male.

This post is not meant to condemn any particular group or person in the United States. Instead, it represents my thinking about the possible operation of gender, race and religion in this situation.

Wimpy, Wimpy, Wimpy? Obama Strikes Deal With GOP On Taxes

In the early 1980s, a television advertisement for Hefty brand trash bags declared the competition "wimpy, wimpy, wimpy." That commercial came to mind when I read about President Obama's deal with the GOP regarding the extension of Bush's tax cuts.

Think Progress has the details, but here are the major points. Under the plan: 1. Bush's tax cuts will remain in place for over two years; 2. in exchange, expired unemployment benefits will continue for another 13 months; 3. payroll taxes will decline 2 percentage points for a year; 4. various tax credits (e.g., the Earned Income Tax Credit) will remain in place; and 5. the estate tax will return at a rate of 35% with a $5 million exemption.

Undoubtedly, mainstream media will declare the deal a sign of Obama's heralded pragmatism. Nevertheless, the compromise represents a retreat from one of the issues that defined his campaign.

Furthermore, the package of tax cuts will also likely add to the deficit because it was not coupled with any spending cuts. The Bush tax cuts have already increased the size of the national deficit. Extending them will likely lead to the same result. Finally, as Think Progress observes, many of the cuts -- particularly the estate tax provision -- represent a major windfall only for the most wealthy households in the nation.

It is unclear how this deal makes sound economic policy. Instead, it looks more like politics masquerading as policy.

No Tongue-Lashing For Ice Breakers

You're watching NFL Sunday ... the extra point is kicked ... it's good!! 

And, now a word from our sponsors.

The commercial that comes across the screen brings to mind images of the opening ceremony of the Olympic winter games.  A bunch of people all dressed in white passing a large white object around.  Then, the object goes up into the air and lands squarely ....

Wait, what is this? Where does it land?

On a tongue. Inside the mouth of a pleasantly attractive woman who smiles as the sensation cools her taste buds with icy cool flavor crystals.

Pretty cool. (Both literally and figuratively.)