Entry #5: Analyzing Allstate's "Baseball dad" ad
Allstate advertisements are known for their character "Mayhem" and being memorable. The one that I’ve watched was the baseball dad ad. It was very entertaining and fun to watch! The context of this ad is Mayhem, who plays an overexcited dad, causes an unpredictable accident when he tries to coach his son by swinging the baseball bat but ends up throwing it and causing an accident.
The design of the ad takes place on a sunny day at a kids' baseball field. There are parents sitting at the bleachers watching their kids play baseball, and this guy named “Mayhem” is one of them. He wants his kid to win, so he puts pressure on him by grabbing the microphone from the announcer and saying “No pressure kid. Just everyone watching.” He then tries to show him to “swivel those hips” by swinging the baseball bat but ends up losing his grip, and the bat starts flying and hits the front windshield of a woman’s car while she was reversing into the parking lot. The woman gets scared from the accident and ends up crashing into the streetlight pole behind her which then makes the top part of it fall and hit her back windshield. Mayhem then grabs the bat from the window and tells the overall message of the ad which is, “If you don’t have the right insurance, you can be paying for this yourself. So, get Allstate, save money, and be protected from Mayhem.”
Based on the context and message of this ad, Allstate wants the audience to react to this ad with fear because it shows that accidents can happen at any time at any place so we should choose Allstate as our insurance. Mayhem represents the unexpected trouble that caused this accident to happen. According to Darrigo & Diaz, “On average, there are over 6 million passenger car accidents in the U.S. every year.” This just proves Allstate's point of how fast your day can change and how you need to be prepared with insurance. When I watched this ad, I felt scared because it made me realize how unpredictable accidents are and how they’re everywhere.
Allstate's purpose is to show viewers that they are protected and can trust them anytime accidents happen. According to blogger Nsikak Andrew, "With Allstate by your side, you can rest assured knowing that your future is protected, providing the freedom to live life to the fullest, no matter what the future may hold."
I can tell from the ad who the target audience is, and they are parents and drivers who are looking for new insurance. I know this because the commercial takes place at a kids' baseball game, and “Mayhem” plays the baseball dad who throws the baseball bat into a random woman's car. We can see that the tone of the ad is humorous and chaotic, and it’s been set up this way so it could grab the attention of viewers and make it more memorable by adding humor. The viewers also might be able to relate to the ad. I know I did! For example, when I was little, my dad and I were inside his car and it was parked outside of the mall. This guy wanted to park next to him but didn't see how close his car was to my dad's so he ended up hitting his car and scratching it. Ouch! This was when I realized how helpful insurance like Allstate can be in these situations.
To wrap it up, this Allstate Baseball Dad advertisement shows how life at any moment can change unexpectedly, so you should pick Allstate insurance to protect you from these problems. They make the ad memorable by making it dramatic to remind the audience to come prepared and to encourage them to get Allstate insurance. I found this ad very entertaining and would watch more whenever I want to get a good laugh.
I really enjoyed your post about the Allstate ad. I like how you explained the humor with Mayhem but also pointed out the serious message about accidents and insurance. Your story about your dad’s car made it really relatable—it shows how quickly things can go wrong and why insurance matters. It’s a funny ad, but your post reminded me that there’s an important lesson behind the laughs.
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