Blame it on Geico. With cavemen, lizards or Robert Stack-esque impressions, the car insurance industry just became cool. Well, not actually cool but perception of cooler. Hipper.

Well, if you can’t beat ‘em — QUE FLO!

Progressive took on Geico with their Flo character (played by Stephanie Courtney). She looks like she’s direct from the 1960s and with Mad Men hitting popularity, we’re all mildly attracted to her.

All State decided to join in all the fun and games. Unfortunately, they just hired Dennis Haysbert. If their target audience was strictly people who watched CBS procedurals, game-on! It took them some time but most recently Dean Winters was brought on in a series of Fight Club like ads that are funny, entertaining and catchy.

There was one left and I’m looking at you State Farm. We get it, you’re there like a good neighbor. The truth is that jingle was written by Barry Manilow in 1971. That’s a nearly 40-year old jingle/slogan. Talk about stale! With that, it was time for them to step up to the plate and they did with… BOOBS! Good try, but better luck next time.

So, between cavemen, redheads, Dean Winters and magical jingles the car insurance game has become a hotbed of new ideas, slogans and characters. While Geico, Progressive and State Farm’s commercials are all working to make their brand look hipper it was All State that seemed to be working overtime on the marketing machine. The commercials drop lines about how “your 15-minute car insurance” won’t work out when you get smashed in a parking lot or that “name your own price” one won’t make due when you smash into a pole. Not only are the commercials hip, they’re using traditional marketing techniques. More importantly, I’m pretty sure “Mayhem” could kick a caveman’s ass and sleep with Flo. That’s the car insurance I want!

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/14/how-to-effectively-communicate-with-developers/

CreativeBits.org serves up a list (actually, three lists — check their article update) of business card ideas.

http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs

Seth also starts out with an interesting story about Duncan Hines and the origination of the first “Zagats”.

Seth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain from 99% on Vimeo.

(via Makin’ Ads, produced by 99%)

It’s important to take this opportunity to pause and understand what this all means, and what this has to do with social networking. It’s all rather simple and when you come to the conclusion, it will all connect – similar to a psychological thriller. By explaining this, it will also summarize this entire chapter: humans are attention whores.

Society has dictated a style of communication that encompasses tabloids, reality television and social networks. Popularity has become the focal point for many, and the number of “friends” or “followers” on any given network is a score of how popular they really are. Someone who has a lot of followers is “popular”, whereas someone with a few friends is the equivalent of a social outcast in adolescence.

All of this connects to an important element in properly utilizing social networking for your business, product or image – build on that connection.

I cannot stress the importance of building those connections – speaking to one single person in a public forum or acknowledging someone’s statement makes them stand-out. If you’re positively recognizing an individual, your action will have to positive effects:

1. The person who made the statement will suddenly feel empowered. Being recognized brings an overwhelming positive feeling. That positive feeling will connect to you – creating a positive experience.
2. Others who witness this moment of recognition will seek that attention. Like a needy middle-child, they seek approval. Your communication will suddenly become important and your approval is the ultimate goal.

The most successful companies and people who utilize this form of recognition create positive experiences for consumers who may not necessarily purchased from your company or utilized your product. However, this develops a positive opinion which is extremely valuable.

Connecting with people on an emotional level is as simple as that little piece of recognition. Bring yourself back to a place where you were a child who scored well on a school test. Your parent may have put that paper on the refrigerator, displaying your accomplishment for all to see. Imagine now that with social networking, you’re able to do that for consumers on a mass scale.

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