For those three people that missed the Super Bowl – check out the Nationwide Insurance Company’s “Make safe happen” ad that ran:

When people reacted negatively to the ad Nationwide responded by reporting to the Press that the ad was meant “to start a conversation, not Sell Insurance.”

Now you must realize that as a lawyer I have a built in lie detector that goes off when something doesn’t pass the sniff test.  This one just doesn’t.

Let’s assume for a second that Nationwide was being completely honest in their statement that they meant to start a dialogue.  Even in that case, the reason that they want to start a dialogue on child safety is to create a positive image of their company with their customer base.  Why?  Because they want to sell insurance.  Nationwide is a corporation designed and operated to sell insurance.  That’s what they do.  This commercial, and the revenue allocated to it, was meant to sell insurance.  Nothing more, nothing less.

I am certain that they anticipated the backlash that they are getting – because any press is good press.  Nationwide is on everyone’s lips.  Good, bad, whatever.  Nationwide.  Nationwide.  Nationwide.

I’d say it’s despicable to profit off tragedy through advertising, but I just realized that I am writing a blog to boost my social media presence and basically trying to profit by derivative, through commentary on Nationwide’s despicable behaviour.  doh!

I just want to call a spade a spade and say that I think that if Nationwide really wants to help prevent childhood accidents they should donate to a children’s charity that helps prevent accidents.  Let the non-profit organization run the ad.

Tomorrow I’m going to write about Giant Unicorns to avoid guilt by association.

The post Find me a giant unicorn and an Insurance Company that really cares. appeared first on Ottawalawyer.com.