Marwell and Schmitt's Taxonomy Influence Tactics- Geico

For my final post I used a video of a compilation of Geico commercials. I have to admit that the commercials were so entertaining that I watched all forty minutes of them. By the time I finished I felt like calling Geico. If I had more time I might have. The commercials were excellent examples of many of Marwell and Schmitt’s Taxonomy Influence Tactics. I will list a few of them below.

Reward
I'll reward you if you do it. "I'll throw in a pair of speakers if you buy it today." "Thanks! I'll make certain your manager knows how helpful you were."

Many of the Geico commercials promise happiness for those people who switch to Geico. The commercials show people or animals that are doing things that make them happy. Then at the end of the commercial two men playing banjo’s say, “Jimmy, how happy are folks who save hundreds of dollars switching to Geico?” and the reply is, “Happier than a camel on Wednesday” or “Happier than Dikembe Mutombo blocking a shot”.

Punishment
I'll punish you if you don't do it. "If you don't buy it today, I won't be able to offer you this special incentive price again." "If I can't get it at that price tomorrow, then I'll take my business elsewhere."

Another Geico commercial has a man tell the audience that Geico insures all kinds of vehicles and they have great service and great rates for great rides. Then he says, “Not insuring them with Geico, well, that’s like being a race car driver with a really lazy pit crew.” Then they show a race car pulling up to the pit and his crew are sitting around being lazy. The Geico pit crew are observing and say how terrible it is. The message is that if you don’t buy Geico, you won’t get good service.

Positive Expertise
Speaking as an authority on the subject, I can tell you that rewards will occur if you do X, because of the nature of reality. "If you start working out at our gym regularly, you'll find that people are more attracted to you physically."

In every one of the Geico commercials the audience is told that if they call Geico and get a quote, they could save 15%, or more, on their car insurance. There are many of the Geico commercials that say not everyone can hit or play like a professional athlete, but they could save 15% or more on car insurance.

Moral Appeal
This tactic entails finding moral common ground, and then using the moral commitments of a person to obtain compliance. "You believe that women should get equal pay for equal work, don't you? You don't believe that men are better than women, do you? Then you ought to sign this petition! It's the right thing to do."

Some of the Geico commercials show what happens when two great things coming together. One commercial shows Boston’s famous clam chowder going together with one of Boston’s finest colleges. Another says, “We’re delighted to show you what happens when a great deal like the flower’s in LA’s flower district meets great service like at one of LA’s five star restaurants.” Then they say “Geico, where great savings and delightful service come together.” In other words, if you want great savings and delightful service like their examples, then you ought to get Geico Insurance now.

Negative Esteem of Others
Other people will think worse of you if you “You don't want people thinking that you're a drug-head loser, do you?"

In one of the commercials two cavemen are talking and one of the cavemen give another one a hard time for getting Geico insurance. He says he can’t believe he could get Geico just to save a little money. Then he says that “a little loyalty would be nice.” In other words, the caveman who got Geico is a traitor.
Geico also uses the slogan, “It’s so easy a caveman could do it” to show that anyone who is smarter than a caveman should get Geico.

Geico does a great job of using the premise of needs in most of their commercials. If you want to be smarter than a caveman and save money then you need to get a quote from Geico. Many of their commercials use the second premise of emotion. I think the commercials using cavemen especially focus on emotions. Geico also uses our attitudes in many of the commercials to persuade us that we agree with what they are saying. After all, everyone knows that “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.” The final premise of consistency is found throughout the commercials when they make you feel like even though you already have insurance that is just fine, you really need to get Geico because it is the better, cheaper, and smarter insurance to have.

These commercials are very entertaining and very persuasive. If I had time and was in the market for insurance I would definitely call Geico to get a quote. I am smarter than a caveman and after all, everyone knows that “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.”