Senior English major
Every year, billions of dollars are spent to create memorable advertisements and commercials. Some use shock, others use factual statements, and still more use humor to sell a product or service to consumers.
While it may be a funny ad, the Geico “hump day” commercial is a great example of the power advertising has in our lives.
Since it first aired, the dumb-looking camel commercial has been the source of many popular phrases and jokes. Not a Wednesday goes by that I don’t hear someone around the campus yell, “HUMP DAY, YEAH” or “WHOOP WHOOP.” But what does this popularity have to say about how advertising affects us?
It shows that even the most simple advertisement, if effectively executed, can become a huge part of everyday life. It’s not like this was a major motion picture or prime-time sitcom; it’s a 30-second clip.
One of the most important aspects of good advertising is the ability to stay in the minds of consumers. Being memorable is important — when consumers go to purchase a product, they will feel a connection to a product or company they have heard of before. Despite there being no connection between camels and insurance, any person who sees the commercial will associate the two in the future. College-age students may not be looking to buy insurance just yet, but you can be sure that in a few years when they are ready to buy insurance, those who remember the “hump day” commercial are more likely to seek out Geico.
While choosing one insurance provider over another may have limited repercussions in the long term, we as consumers should be aware of how these types of ads affect our decisions. Advertisements are all around us, and they affect the decisions we make every day. Consumers are probably more likely to purchase a product or service from a well-known company even if it is not the best option for them. And it’s not just product purchases that advertisements impact.
Political advertisements shape the way voters perceive potential candidates and can sway people’s opinions on critical issues. Just with the use of clever rhetoric, voters can have their views changed on crucial topics without even realizing it … Misinformation is sometimes cleverly hidden within the rhetoric and wording of these types of advertisements. This misinformation can lead to uninformed voters making decisions they will regret in the future.
This Geico commercial is funny and entertaining; I laugh every time I see it. But despite the entertainment value, consumers should keep in mind the potential pitfalls from taking advertisements too seriously. Making sure to get objective opinions, instead of blindly trusting advertisements, is the only way to keep yourself from being swayed by clever marketing.
Dave Stroh is a senior English major. He can be reached at dstrohdbk@gmail.com.
