How much less Insurance, Cell Phones, etc. would cost if "they" didn't spend MILLIONS on "celebrities" to appear in their ads, or spend more MILLIONS on stupid ads with geckos, "Flos", the stupid emu, etc. that have nothing to do with the services provided and just showed a spreadsheet with their prices for services?
Can you imagine...
- Thread starter bk42261
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I cannot.
Sadly companies that don't advertise in the manner we demand don't last long.
Sadly companies that don't advertise in the manner we demand don't last long.
Yendor357
Member
Can you imagine how much cheaper we all would get by if there were no dishonest people in the world?
Think about that for a minute.
Think about that for a minute.
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A noble wish but sadly, even less so.
Once again we can only blame ourselves and human nature.
Once again we can only blame ourselves and human nature.
Some of them are funny though
Birdgun
Member
My all time favorite ads were the Budweiser ads with the Budweiser frogs plus Frank and Louie. Those Frank and Louie commercials were funny.
A close second favorite were the Budweiser clydesdale horses and friends ads.
A close second favorite were the Budweiser clydesdale horses and friends ads.
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There is absolutely zero need for ads of prescription meds. Many countries don't allow such nonsense.
And we didn't either, back in the day. Lawyers and doctors were not allowed to advertise either.
Over the years I have been very entertained by the Progressive, GEICO, and Liberty Mutual commercials. The Cavemen, and the gecko, and Flo & Jamie, and even Lemu emu & Doug are all quite amusing.
But you know what? None of them have had the desired effect on me.
I haven't switched to any of those companies for my insurance needs. I prefer to stick with a tried and true company with a good, dedicated, local agent and office in my area. Someone I can trust and call anytime I have a question or issue I need help with.
Seeing TV ads with a bunch of entertaining clowns doesn't inspire my confidence.
IMO, they would be better off if they saved the millions they throw into ad budgets and give their policy-holders a break on the rates they charge. In the long run, maybe the lower rates would generate more word-of-mouth business.
Maybe...
But you know what? None of them have had the desired effect on me.
I haven't switched to any of those companies for my insurance needs. I prefer to stick with a tried and true company with a good, dedicated, local agent and office in my area. Someone I can trust and call anytime I have a question or issue I need help with.
Seeing TV ads with a bunch of entertaining clowns doesn't inspire my confidence.
IMO, they would be better off if they saved the millions they throw into ad budgets and give their policy-holders a break on the rates they charge. In the long run, maybe the lower rates would generate more word-of-mouth business.
Maybe...
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How much less? Probably none at all. They charge what the market will bear; what people are willing to pay. They charge what they need to in order to maximize their revenues. What they do NOT do is calculate their expenses, add on a fair profit, and then charge that.
If "what the market will bear" becomes little enough that they cannot make a reasonable profit, then they will cut expenses until they CAN make a profit. If that becomes impossible then they will leave the business.
These are simple economic principles, outlined by Adam Smith almost 250 years ago in "The Wealth of Nations." They have not changed even one little bit over the centuries.
If "what the market will bear" becomes little enough that they cannot make a reasonable profit, then they will cut expenses until they CAN make a profit. If that becomes impossible then they will leave the business.
These are simple economic principles, outlined by Adam Smith almost 250 years ago in "The Wealth of Nations." They have not changed even one little bit over the centuries.
For the best price for my Insurances, I bid it out every 3-4 years. Get at least 3 or 4 bids on the same level of insurance for my Home and auto. So far, I still haven't changed companies, still have State Farm for the past 23 years. This past fall one of the agents told me he couldn't come close to what I was paying.
It's against the law.....
....to boost the signals on commercials. So the cut the signal on the programming so you have to turn the TV up and up and up then...........
BLAMMO! COMMERCIALS
I put an audio compressor on my TV speaker to deal with this, it used to work great. Now they are really tricky and extreme with the variability that it only works halfway.
....to boost the signals on commercials. So the cut the signal on the programming so you have to turn the TV up and up and up then...........
BLAMMO! COMMERCIALS
I put an audio compressor on my TV speaker to deal with this, it used to work great. Now they are really tricky and extreme with the variability that it only works halfway.
Medications are the worst.
I take a few of them and have never started dancing, hiking the mountains, kayak the ocean watching whales etc etc.
I take a few of them and have never started dancing, hiking the mountains, kayak the ocean watching whales etc etc.
For me, political, pharmaceutic and attorney adds are totally useless and exceedingly annoying. In Nevada the two groups probably make up 90% of TV advertising, the other 10% are car dealerships. 
After I don't know how many insurance companies available through a multi-line agent either raised their rates to an unaffordable level or quit writing insurance for where I lived, I took my uncle's advice and went with the company and agent he had been dealing with for years. They were and still are the type of company and agent just like BC38 described above. And the good thing is I get the service that is personal to me and I haven't been hit with major increases in premiums either.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
My Dad, Mom, Brother and myself, Have been using State Farm since the late 60's. Price point is important, but more important is their ability and willingness to pay claims! Some companies just don't pay!
An almost but not quite scam, The Public Utilities Commision of OHIO (PUCO), ruled a change in responsibility on the gas lines to your house. So the utilities issued a new contract on your bill, contracting you to be liable for repairs. Little "Fly by night" insurance companies popped up to cover this. Their rates were $10-$35 per year. I checked with State Farm. Top of the line policies already covered this, those that didn't only cost an additional $1.50-$1.75 a year!
Flood insurance is federally controlled!
Earthquake insurance is not! State Farm made EQ coverage separate in the 80's, Best Coverage was 11.50 per year on our house. We had the same coverages on our homes and the apartments we owned. Never needed it! Now Ohio has 4 or 5 quakes in 3 years (Nothing compared to California) but still not needed or used.
Ivan
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Pisgah
Member
Believe it or not, what they pay for advertising is barely a pimple on the butt of the total money they make. Eliminating that cost would do nothing to lessen our costs, or their profits...
All commercials get the MUTE button all the time!
