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Your Attention Captured But...


This curious ad pops up on my Yahoo email account:



(Click on image for eXpanded view.)


The text reads: “You're probably wondering how a guy like me ended up paying way less for car insurance.”

That isn't the curious part. Check out the portrait of the man who is supposedly making the endorsement. While he is not a movie star or male model, it seems the image has been made to accent his features to the point of distortion. It looks like a wide angle shot taken up close so that his nose and glasses appear to be too big. Of course, being “dentally challenged” (a nod to you PC types) doesn't help either.

At first glance I thought it was an ad for Geico, a car insurance company that features TV spots with actors made up as Neanderthals. (“So simple a caveman can do it.”) But this image shows a member of Homo sapiens.

Photoshopped? If not, then the photographer isn't presenting his subject in the best light.

Does it make you want to run out and buy car insurance? Especially with that headline about President Obama backing insurance regulation. Did he approve this ad? Is the company being promoted now under new government regulations set forth by Obama? What is this company's connection to the president and insurance regulation? Details, please.

I think I'm going to add this tagline to my blog:

Obama Backs Free Speech, Responsible Bloggers

And speaking of details, there's the disclaimer in tiny print at the bottom of the ad:

“*This testimonial is not an actual representation of an experience by any one consumer.”

Ya think?

Comments

Doug said…
I get the impression the idea here was: If those Geico ads work, let's make those cavemen look handsome by comparison and really stand out.

Someone must be making money from advertising on the 'net, but I still haven't figured out how.
1:55 AM
X. Dell said…
Gee. I would never have guessed this guy wasn't a real customer.
7:16 PM
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