This ad really stood out to me for delivering its message so directly and elegantly. And for this reason, it was very memorable.
Essentially what they did was buy the very first ad slot directly after the Super Bowl was over, and as such, they saved 30% off the Super Bowl advertising rate. And then they told us that, and said by using intelligent business practices, they can save us 30% on car insurance rates. Wow: smart and simple, using their ad strategy as an example of what they are selling and why we might want it. Touchdown!
While it may not be a flashy or heart-string-tugging, there is no mistaking this message, and it was very well thought out. Being succinct is often times the most difficult thing to accomplish, and this was definitely that. The only issue with this ad for me is that it's essentially a one-time spot. But it was the kind of ad that might work well for them even if it runs only once. It's just that so much of the car insurance ads are based on saving money, so I'm not so sure how well or even if this will resonate with potential customers.
But then they had a Tweet hashtag contest for $1.5 Million (the amount they say they saved on running the ad after, rather than during, the Super Bowl). This may make people think about Esurance or even Tweet about it, but I'm not sure how much these cash giveaways actually help sell products. But it did help them pad out the commercial, I suppose.
Here's the frugal spot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCPzdDVCN8Y
