Yesterday we were driving to Starbucks in the car before school.
Jackson was yabbing away to himself and Zara was singing: “live from Progressive, live from Progressive, call or click, call or click.”
I’d have slammed my foot on the brake if I thought it would have worked.
Isn’t there something suspect with a society in which the most recognizable face is the woman from the Progressive ad.; who seems to be taking over from the Geico lizard as the TV personality with the most airtime.
At least they are easier on the eye than someone else who has been swallowing up a lot of air time lately, Donald Trump.
While it’s true that America has elected some dubious presidents in its time, I have enough confidence in America not to elect someone with a dead fox on his head to the Oval Office, just as I have enough confidence to believe the nation would not elect Sarah Palin, who has the mental acumen of a dead fox.
For the benefit of anyone who has been living in a cave or a mansion near Pakistan’s military academy in the last five years, Flo. Is a nerdy and dangerously enthusiastic Progressive sales person, who was created by copywriter John Park and art director Steve Reepmeyer, according to Wikipedia.
She’s rather unlike most sales people we encounter who merely grunt and give the impression they want you to go away. Case in point – the woman at JC Penney last night when I showed up 15 minutes from closing time, who growled a lot and slammed around boxes before suggesting after my purchase that I take on online survey and rate her customer service skills 5 out of 5.
Sadly my sarcastic side usually deserts me at such times and I nod meekly instead of asking her if there’s a minus category.
Flo is really the actress Stephanie Courtney who isn’t exactly a household name, even though she’s a household face. Nor might she be in real life. It apparently takes an hour to create Flo’s retro hairstyle and another hour to slap on her makeup. Remembering waiting for my sister to put on her new face when I was a teenager to get into the bathroom, I think this represents good value.
The sad thing about all of this is that Flo now has 2.4 million followers on Facebook. In October 2009, the Boston Herald referred to Flo as "the commercial break's new sweetheart," and said that Courtney was "attaining TV ad icon status".
She's so recognizable there's apparently a Flo Halloween costume out there.
This either suggests
A – What's on TV is dire
B – There a lot of people who don’t have a life
C – both of the above.
How sad that a character from an insurance commercial has attained cult status. And, for the record, I preferred the Geico cavemen.
Never under estimate the stupidity of America. In the last 3 elections for President, the majority made some bad choices. But Bush got elected twice and Obama once so yea I have no faith the intelligence in this country.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on Palin and Trump though. If either of those are elected President, I am moving over seas.
really - me too if that happens.
ReplyDeleteDead fox on his head!!!
ReplyDeleteFlo is also dangerously annoying. The answer is emphatically C!
Great post. :)
Yet another reason the country is going to hell in a handbasket. Perhaps a special team can be assembled to round up Paris Hilton, The Kardashians, Sarah shit-for-brains Palin, the twat head otherwise known as The Biebster, Flo, the Donald, along with any other annoying celebutard AND then send them off on a nice long one-way trip to outer space. Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteThose ads are so annoying, they drive my kids to scream "turn it off" whenever they come on.
ReplyDeleteMoments when I'm glad that I don't have a tv :)
ReplyDeleteI go with C :0) I love the commercials, but I would have never tought more of it. I love the background behind the character.
ReplyDeleteOr was it Capitol One, those purveyors of freshman credit card debt, who had the cavemen? "Wot's in YOUR wallet?!" Indeed.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Flo or the lizard; both about equally cute and appealing. I mind most the commercials I don't understand and what a lot of them there are these days! You know, the ones where you can feel some edgy post-modern Don Draper in a funk back there behind them. Or some too clever kid who actually loved Devo in his teens. Someone so deeply opposed to derivationalism, they can't really reference anything...not even the product they're hawking.
And what the hell do those separate, unplumbed bathtubs have to do with anything?! They keep making those particular commercials because their feedback is that they sell hard-ons with them. If America will buy chemically enhanced erections from people who think side-by-side bathtubs on the roof of Brooklyn at nighttime is sexy, they might just nominate the wrong candidate, too.
Might you be a liberal Southerner? Or at least a liberal who finds themselves in the South? Greetings from another stranded soul.
I know the A-Z is over, but I'm still working my way through the list of participants, checking out blogs. I've noodled around yours and enjoyed your posts - now a follower. My blog is at http://earthdragonhealing.blogspot.com - please visit and if you do leave a comment so I know you dropped in. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSo true. I think the Geico lizard has more personality, but I bet he doesn't even have 1 million followers. It's just not right.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
Oh. My. Hat. I think I'm in love. I'm going to have to watch each and every single one of those adverts! She's amazing. ♥
ReplyDeleteWhat have you done, David? I think you've created a monster in me.
And once again I am reminded how much I love not having TV.
ReplyDeleteWow. I totally agree with you. It's a sad world out there right now.
ReplyDeleteI remember a few years ago my dad enthusiastically told me about the actress and how she used to be a model or something. There was a big story done about her on Inside Edition or something. I had no idea she had become an even bigger force since...
She's excessively annoying. I don't trust people who are too chirpy in a stark white mental institution-like setting.
But I guess 2.4 million other people do. Ugh.
Hunh? Donald Trump? Flo?
ReplyDeleteHunh?
I thought the commercial was OK at first. But like with most commercials, by the time you see it the millionth time it makes you want to crash your car into a wall. Of course, when you call progressive to put in your claim you'd probably get her automated voice talking over and over again...
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it Jayne, dangerously annoying is right. Nice thought Empress - but who would I blog about? Glad the kids are tuned into her, Tim. You don't lifebegins -well it's overrated.
ReplyDeleteI know Marnie, it must be weird to be that actress, thanks for the comments Nance and Laurie -am now following your blogs. Maybe not Robyn, but maybe he does as he's English. Oh err um, I felt guilty Em. Oh - you too, Lidia. Ha, I know Jennifer, she's probably completely unchirpy and dour in real life. Indeed Talli. yeah - too funny Christopher...
ReplyDelete