Some parodies are too real
Published 12:01 am Thursday, January 20, 2011
PEMCO insurance’s latest quirky Northwest personality featured in its quirky ad campaign is none other than the “Oblivious Left-Lane Occupant.” It represents those maddening, dangerous drivers — some oblivious, others in firm control of their self-appointed task to control the flow of traffic — camped out in the freeway passing lane, going the speed limit or less.
Many of PEMCO’s earlier spots, such as “Blue Tarp Campers” and “Sandals and Socks Guy,” highlight true Northwest characters. Funny stuff.
But then PEMCO started profiling types of drivers, rather than just types of Northwesterners. For example, one ad profiles the overly polite “4-Way Stop, You Go. No You Go. No You Go. Guy.” People either laughed in recognition or wondered, “What do you mean it’s not my job to sit there and make the “go-go!” hand-waving motion at someone when, in fact, I was there first and it’s my turn to go?”
This is new territory for PEMCO, since driver behavior actually applies to the product they sell. And this just might throw a wrench into its ad campaign. Because why in the world would an insurance company enthusiastically embrace a driver who camps out in the left lane? It’s against the law and it’s dangerous, two things insurance companies are totally against.
It’s quite possible, of course, that such a left-lane driver doesn’t have a ticket yet, or hasn’t caused an accident. But it’s just a matter of time. It’s then that a driver discovers how eager any insurance company actually is to claim, and keep them, as one of their quirky own.
Other law-breaking or annoying drivers PEMCO is now free to profile, and embrace, as “you’re one of us” (but only if they add, please stop doing that):
•“Community college student sitting in your running car for 20 minutes while you smoke a cigarette and wait for class to start.”
•“Everett citizen executing your belief in your God-given right to execute a U-turn wherever you want because there isn’t that much traffic.”
•“Driver of an SUV or truck who straddles the center line on urban roads because it is the responsibility of smaller cars to follow laws like staying in your own lane.”
•“I’m turning right at the four-way stop so I’ll slow, but not stop, as I roll through the bike lane without looking, and then finally, belatedly, illegally and illogically, pause my vehicle in the crosswalk on the street into which I’m turning, before proceeding.”
•“Blinker? What’s a blinker? If the privacy-invaders really must know where I’m going, my brake lights are sufficient notice.”
Yup, you’re all one of us.
