# 15 minutes could save you 15% or more... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 1, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537 "2009-04-01T03:09:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/1 "2009-04-01T03:09:08Z")
I wonder how much Geico could save you if they didn’t run a spot every stinkin’ commercial break, or if they didn’t sponsor every sporting event known to man! I would love to know what their advertising budget is. I feel better now, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/2 "2009-04-01T03:50:17Z")
> [@King\_Friday](#): > > I wonder how much Geico could save you if they didn’t run a spot every stinkin’ commercial break, or if they didn’t sponsor every sporting event known to man! I would love to know what their advertising budget is. > > I feel better now, thank you. I expect that they could save you less than they do now (assuming they save anything now). You may wish to start using that tivo-thingie to skip the commercials, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/3 "2009-04-01T04:03:17Z")
I agree, but at least some of the Geico commercials have some entertainment value. I would like to know how much Vonage spends blanketing every media outlet 24hrs. a day with stupid commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/4 "2009-04-01T04:26:26Z")
They could also save you up to 99% or more. Or up to 1% or more. They basically mean the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/5 "2009-04-01T05:16:13Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > They could also save you up to 99% or more. Or up to 1% or more. They basically mean the same thing. Yea, I never quite understood why they stop at saving you up to 15%. I guess 15 minutes to save you up to 50% doesn’t fool most people. Along the same lines, I love the car ads that promise you that “we will beat any deal by $100 or the car is free!!!” Ok, we can’t match the Chevy dealer down the street, so just take the car… ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/6 "2009-04-01T06:39:01Z")
The thing about Geico commercials is that they have about 3 or 4 successful ad campaigns running currently. Most companies would settle for one. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/7 "2009-04-01T08:12:35Z")
I agree. To hell with Geico! Signed, a caveman ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/8 "2009-04-01T11:52:40Z")
I don’t think we need to worry any more. The old guy fell on the lizard. Oh, dear… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/9 "2009-04-01T12:14:40Z")
One of the major UK insurance companies, Norwich Union, is changing its name to match its new parent company, Aviva. They’ve got a star [sic]-studded cast for their television commercials - Bruce Willis, Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, Elle MacPherson, MacCauley Culkin etc. I always wonder how much spare money they have kicking around to be able to hire Bruce Willis to tell us they’re changing their name. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/10 "2009-04-01T12:48:50Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > One of the major UK insurance companies, Norwich Union, is changing its name to match its new parent company, Aviva. They’ve got a star [sic]-studded cast for their television commercials - Bruce Willis, Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, Elle MacPherson, MacCauley Culkin etc. There’s nothing like a bunch of aging actors/fossilizing rock stars/crepitating models/has-been child stars to show you the bright new way to the future. The way to do it is to have Beyonce do a dance number on behalf of your product. The downside is that people aren’t paying attention to what the product is. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/11 "2009-04-01T13:10:25Z")
My gripe used to be McD’s when I was driving an hour to work. Several times an hour to hear their annoying commercials on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/12 "2009-04-01T13:11:36Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There’s nothing like a bunch of aging actors/fossilizing rock stars/crepitating models/has-been child stars to show you the bright new way to the future. Heh. And another UK purveyor of auto insurance has got _Iggy Pop_ shilling for them. That’s more than a little bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/13 "2009-04-01T14:01:14Z")
The choice: The lizard, or that dippy Progressive Insurance girl. And remember, death is not an option. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/14 "2009-04-01T15:54:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I always wonder how much spare money they have kicking around to be able to hire Bruce Willis to tell us they’re changing their name. I always wonder why people think that advertising is just some sort of free corporate bucket of money. It’s an investment in their company. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/15 "2009-04-01T16:30:50Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > I always wonder why people think that advertising is just some sort of free corporate bucket of money. It’s an investment in their company. It is, yes. But the point I was making was: is their advertising budget such that they can justify hiring a reasonably big Hollywood name (and a lot of other celebs), given that they are a financial institution in a highly unstable market? And if so, why, when similar firms are being more…prudent…these days? Especially as, for the most part, the appearances in the advertising are gratuitous. I mean, they can do what they want, but the message I’m taking away from their advertising is that they’re being free with money they may not have (or conversely, they’re gouging their customers to pay for such things). ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/16 "2009-04-01T17:03:44Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It is, yes. But the point I was making was: is their advertising budget such that they can justify hiring a reasonably big Hollywood name (and a lot of other celebs), given that they are a financial institution in a highly unstable market? And if so, why, when similar firms are being more…prudent…these days? Especially as, for the most part, the appearances in the advertising are gratuitous. > > I mean, they can do what they want, but the message I’m taking away from their advertising is that they’re being free with money they may not have (or conversely, they’re gouging their customers to pay for such things). The point of advertising is to net your company more money. Celebrity endorsers are effective means of advertising, and will (hopefully) make the company more money. It isn’t wasteful at all, unless the campaign fails. They obviously don’t think that it will. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/17 "2009-04-01T17:07:26Z")
Considering they’re hiring celebrities like Mrs Butterworth, I don’t imagine they actually spent all that much money. And it’s definitely money well spent. Compare Geico’s name recognition to what it would be without its successfuly ad campaigns. Or what Allstate would be without David Palmer or ESurance without Erin. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/18 "2009-04-01T17:59:02Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > The choice: The lizard, or that dippy Progressive Insurance girl. And remember, death is not an option. I think she’s cute. I’m pretty sure if I was in a room with her for more than a minute I’d probably kill her, but from the other side of a TV screen she’s cute. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/19 "2009-04-01T19:11:47Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > The choice: The lizard, or that dippy Progressive Insurance girl. And remember, death is not an option. Which one would I rather have a beer with? Hmmm… I’m going to have to say the lizard. If he was buying. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537/20 "2009-04-01T19:20:21Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > The choice: The lizard, or that dippy Progressive Insurance girl. And remember, death is not an option. “that’s cold!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-minutes-could-save-you-15-or-more/491537.md?page=2)