ad review allstate mayhem what tv commercial

Ad Review: Allstate. Mayhem. WHAT?

“Mayhem” is the character that creates mischief and, er, mayhem in all those Allstate insurance TV commercials. Mayhem is also what nearly happens in my bedroom at 2 a.m. when this irritating commercial wakes me from a deep and peaceful sleep.

Since 2010, actor Dean Winters has played the role of Mayhem in the Allstate insurance TV commercials. The darkly humorous ads have been described as “bold” and “entertaining.” But this one, titled “Car Thief,” is an example of interruption advertising at its worst.

As the spot opens, our antagonist is seen (ostensibly through a doorbell cam) approaching the front door of someone’s home.

The homeowner (“Jeff,” played by writer/actor Majeed Nami), who is away at a sporting event, receives a notification on his phone and asks, “Hey, who are you?”

“Oh, hey, Jeff. I’m a car thief,” says Mayhem.

Surprised, Jeff says, “What?”

“I’m here to steal your car because, well, that’s my job.”

This is where things get stupid.

Jeff, his face dropping, says “What?”

“What?” asks Mayhem.

“WHUT?” asks Jeff.

“What?” laughs Mayhem, who has stolen a flagpole from the porch and is making his way toward a car in the driveway.

“WHAT!” shouts Jeff.

“What?” Mayhem giggles as he plunges the flag pole through one of the car windows.

“WHAT!!!” Jeff screams, shredding to confetti the last nerve of any remaining viewers who have not yet muted the TV.

“It happens,” says Mayhem, raising his eyebrows and somehow looking directly into the camera.

“If you’ve got cut-rate insurance, payin’ for this can feel like gettin’ robbed twice. So get Allstate,” he says as he starts the car, drops it in gear, and smashes through a picket fence and parked motorcycle.

“And be better protected from mayhem . . . like me,” he laughs.

As he drives away, the screen cuts to the Allstate logo and its tagline: “Are you in good hands?”

Oh, I don’t know, Allstate. Am I in good hands? Would I be smart to put my trust in your hands after you green-lit this awful ad?

But wait. I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s look at the positives first.

What this Allstate ‘Mayhem’ commercial gets right

People seem to like this Dean Winters guy. His subversive character and deadpan delivery contrast strikingly with the company’s “Good Hands” spokesman, Dennis Haysbert (or Pedro Cerrano, as I first knew him), whose calm demeanor and deep baritone voice connect with people on a totally different level.

As mascots go, Mayhem is perhaps less grating (usually) than Progressive’s Flo and more lucid than Liberty Mutual’s LiMu Emu. Mayhem also illustrates, in humorous fashion, the myriad reasons why people need car and home insurance.

What’s more, I like that this ad plants the seed of worry that “cut-rate coverage” can actually cost more in the long run, making people with claims feel as if they’ve been ripped off twice.

So far, so good, yes?

“WHAT!” this Allstate ‘Mayhem’ commercial gets wrong

Why, then, did the creators of this ad feel the need to antagonize viewers with such godawful stupid “dialogue”?

the shouts of what land on our ears like hammer blows

The increasingly louder shouts of “WHAT!!!” assault our ears like hammer blows, each more irksome than the last.

It’s not just juvenile.

It’s not just annoying.

It’s fucking obnoxious.

See also: Hey, advertisers! People hate you, and you deserve it

Oh, I know what the creators of this ad were thinking. The ruckus is distracting. It can’t be ignored. The ad is virtually guaranteed to smash through our consciousness and grab our attention. (As if the volume of this and every other TV commercial isn’t already twice as loud as the programs we pay to watch.)

But guess what?

It’s also a really shitty way to treat your audience.

Yes, Allstate, you got my attention. How much goodwill did you burn to get it?

And what do you think is going to happen the next time I see this ad on TV?

That’s right. I’m scrambling for the mute button. Over furniture if I have to.

Is that what you wanted? To make me dislike you, and actively avoid you like a well-dressed (admittedly) thug on the street?

If so, then mission accomplished.

A little advice

To the Philistines who created this ad:

Getting people’s attention is only part of your job.

Getting our attention does you no good if we hate you for it afterward.

So being likable is another part of your job.

You also need to hold our interest long enough to communicate your message.

Prior to reviewing this commercial, I had never heard this ad’s message because I had always muted the audio after the first or second WHAT.

You adholes neglected to do the most important parts of your job.

Advertisers, know your role

I have said it before: As the uninvited salespeople who disrupt us in the middle of doing things we enjoy—watching videos, reading the news, living our lives—advertisers need to realize that we already dislike them.

They’re in the hole with us before they even begin.

If advertisers want to do right by us and the clients they work for, then their goal must be to climb out of that hole, not keep digging.

They cannot just smash into our homes like Mayhem, steal our attention, and drive away giggling like a loon. We deserve better, and they must do better if they wish to earn our time and money.

Allstate’s ‘Mayhem’ ad: a very Cranky verdict

German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said:

“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.”

I hate this TV commercial because it embodies the worst of interruptive advertising. It’s not just abrasive; it’s boorish and rude. It crashes into my home and steals my peace, something I value far more than any car.

It’s ironic. Allstate is the company that asks us if we’re in good hands, but with this ad, it only gives us the finger.

Cranky Ad Review rating: One fully extended middle finger out of five.

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What do you think of Allstate car insurance commercials? Share your comments below.

102 comments

  1. They need to REMOVE this ALLSTATE Commercial from the airwaves! This is the most obnoxious commercial, I change the station. It lacks purpose, intelligence. It creates a bad, seriously annoying image for the Company.

    1. I agree completely, Maria. There’s humor, and then there’s this. This is off-putting. Pretty much the exact opposite of what you’d want your advertisement to be.

    2. It’s gagging me every time it comes on,, I can’t grab the remote fast enough to get rid of it. It is horrible, I wouldn’t get any insurance from this company if it were the last option in the world!

    3. Allstate Commercials are so obnoxious I would be ashamed to be a customer of Allstate. I would switch companies… I would never consider becoming a customer with such ridiculous commercials…these commercials give no sense of business acuity or competency …not a company that an intellectual individual would ever be associated with

    1. You noticed that to, eh, Sam? It seems there’s a good opening for a smart and serious insurance company to come in and make the others look like the clowns they are.

  3. I switched to AmFam insurance because of their great rates and sensible, intelligent and watchable ads!

    1. Good move, Gary! Vote with your wallet and reward companies that don’t act like we’re (and they’re) stupid.

    1. I change the channel when the mayhem ads come on. They are childish and oh so stupid.

  6. Allstate mayhem commercials are the worst! Bad enough that I would never buy insurance from them.

    1. Yes, Barbara. The Mayhem character may have been cute in its time, but I think the idea has passed its expiration date. Mayhem’s latest exploits as a mischievous cat and dog I find particularly unwatchable.

      Thanks for reading.

      1. Totally agree Allstate must think people are really stupid because the commercials they run are stupid as hell , i change channels or hit mute.

  7. These commercials are sickening, they should not be allowed to be played on TV. Especially the one where he licks the person. I would never buy insurance from a company with this kind of commercial. You cannot turn your TV on without seeing this and having to turn the channel.

    1. Let your voice be heard, Cynthia! Tell advertisers what you think in an email or on social media.

      One of your fellow readers wrote me the other day to say she’s contacted several companies to share her feedback on their advertising. She received a personal reply from the CEO of one company saying they were taking down the offensive ads.

      Advertising is meant to attract customers, not repel them. Smart companies will listen to what you have to say.

    4. I absolutely agree with you Cynthia, I find it so hard to believe that the person(s) who decide which ads to run still have their jobs AND I find EXTREME FAULT with the ad company who makes these commercials to present to a company.

      1. The apex of annoyance for me is that Liberty Mutual Lemu Emu jerk screaming “I can save you” …”Give me your hand”…(you’re paying too much etc. ) as he passes a business card to an adjacent motorist .
        I dislike it much more that What What What and face licking!

  8. I have watched (and loved) Dean Winters as the character “Mayhem” for a long time! I know from personal experience that Allstate is a great insurance. Dean Winters and Dennis Haysbert are great at getting this point across to the people who need car insurance. Now they have added Tina Fay to the mix and I am happy as a clam! I do not like the commercial for Allstate where saying the word WHAT! doesn’t stop Mayhem from causing more personal and property damage than should be necessary. I also love the EMU for Liberty Mutual! I also love Subaru’s commercials where they use Dogs for inspiration. They have been making “Furry” commercials for a long time which goes to prove that showing your love for animals does, in fact, reach the consumer’s heartstrings! (Thank You Subaru for showing that a large Corporation actually can care!) Thank you Allstate for using Dean Winters and Dennis Haysbert (and now Tina Fay) for your commercials! I hope that these great AD people stay put for a long, long time!

      1. I love commercials and I think the Allstate commercials suck I’m very sorry that they did them they’re not funny and they’re not cool

        1. I think some ads are very funny and some are actually cool, To each their own. But I am glad the Xmas holidays are over because there were so many annoying ads. Some are still playing. And that Charmen ad is the most annoying. The one that starts out singing real slow. I hate it with a passion.

    2. I guess there’s an audience for the most boring, intrusive, commercials. I assure you that my furry friends don’t behave like untrained annoying friends!
      All State isn’t one of the highest rated insurance companyies, nor is it nearing as competitive as the others.
      I guess you think the kids doing arm farts is entertaining.

      1. I’ve been known to chuckle at the occasional arm fart, but I get what you’re saying. Like a lot of things (such as an insane-looking Dean Winters messily licking Tina Fey’s face), we don’t necessarily want to see it in commercials.

        1. I can tolerate most of Allstate’s Mayhem commercials, but my husband and I cannot stand the dog face-licking one. It is so disgusting and gross. Certainly does ZERO for the Allstate’s image. We have Allstate, but if we did not, seeing this commercial is a total turn-off. What were the creators of these Mayhem ads thinking–shame on the powers that be for airing these.

          1. Agreed. I too find the latest Mayhem ads (with Tina Fey) unpleasant to watch.

            Hey, Allstate! When a TV commercial makes consumers look away, you know it’s a bad idea. (No matter how many laughs it gets in the agency screening room.) Perhaps it’s time to retire Mayhem or find some more clever (and less revolting) shenanigans for him to get up to.

      1. Hey Vinny….you’re obviously a real Mensa Man with an extraordinary grasp of language, syntax and manners that are conducive to the exchange of ideas! Thanks for your profound contribution. We may disagree (I think the Mayhem ads are successful with their humor and branding)….but I would not be personally insulting and call you stupid for not sharing my view. Whoo, pay attention….dont burn the pizza!

        1. Thanks, Chameleon. I’ve deleted the offensive remarks. You’re right — everyone has a right to his or her own opinion. There’s no need for insults.

          Carry on!

  9. The Mayhem ads were kind of amusing for awhile but now, like most all major advertisers, AllState has pushed the limits of our endurance to the breaking point. Another prime example of ramping up the annoyance factor. Yeah, let’s just have the guy yell, What!” louder and louder each time. Like the “Cars for Kids” jingle, advertisers have somehow decided, “the more terrible and stupid, the more ears and eyeballs.

    The total lack of innovative ad ideas is stunning in the 21st century. I suppose it’s why so many major advertisers now decide to fixate on just one character or one repeating trope (Flo/Progressive, Chevy’s real people, Geico Gecko, Subaru’s dogs, virtually all other automobile ads that show cars tearing across pristine wilderness, etc, etc…). It’s just easier to run with one idea for as long as possible. I get it. It’s more cost effective in the long run and it hits the audience over the head with a hammer, over and over and over. What I can’t understand are certain commercials with ideas that are so far removed from the actual product being sold that one struggles to understand it let alone remember the name of the company. The creative bankruptcy is pervasive and wide ranging.

    1. You’re two for two, Criswell. Another great post!

      Yes, it makes sense for brands to stick with one spokesperson/character/big idea for a while — it helps them build their identities and reinforce the messages they think are important. But, like you, I am amazed that so many advertisers are pushing ideas that have so little to do with the products.

      These advertisers aren’t just creatively bankrupt — they’re strategically bankrupt as well. Somehow, advertising has become more about who can get big belly laughs, or pay the most for a celebrity spokesperson, or who can come up with the next pop-culture catchphrase instead of who can sell the most product.

      Stay tuned. My next ad review may be a controversial one. It’s hardly “creative” at all — which is precisely why it works.

      Thanks for your comments.

      1. Thanks for all your good work Rob. So glad I came across your brilliant blog. I often find myself yelling at tv ads, occasionally to my wife’s dismay, other times to her delight. Now I can come here and vent! I sometimes ask myself why I get so worked up about a damn tv ad, especially given the current state of things. Then I remind myself that we all need some kind of diversion, especially something that provides us with cathartic humor and the opportunity to express our opinion in a creative manner. Your site allows that. I’ve always been interested in the strange world of commercial advertising (my wife has been in and out of the industry at various times over the past 20 years). It seems most of the people who come to this site are all kinda cranky, creative people who just wish the folks at the top making million dollar decisions were more….“creative”.

        1. You bet, Criswell! I appreciate your kind words.

          The ad world is indeed fascinating. I enjoy reading all of the comments here — from lay people as well as those who work in the industry. Everyone has an opinion!

          If you don’t mind my asking, what type of work did your wife do?

          Oh, and don’t miss my latest ad review published just this morning. This is the kind of advertising I wish we saw more often!

        2. allstate mayhem commercial is the most stupid commercial actually being played on tv, nonsense, insensitive, idiotic and if allstate was the only insurance company left i drive without insurance, that is it. MUTE IT, MUTE IT

  10. I agree with many of you. Irritating ad. So much so that I will never buy Allstate ins. Nor progressive. Wont eat at sonic either. Afraid I might run into those 2 dorks in their ads. Waiting for the Aflac duck to gobble up the gecko.

    I don’t hate all commercials, just most of them.

    1. Can’t blame you there, Bill. Good advertising seems to have become a lost art. Watching television commercials these days is like looking into the windows of an insane asylum, each filled with more crazy than the last.

      Thanks for your comment, and stop back again. Progressive and Sonic ads are on my list to review.

      1. It might be interesting to discuss/compare Progressive Jamie and the Liberty lemu guy. There seems to be an affinity with their concept and objective re the dopey characterization….but other than nonthreatening message delivery, what are the Mad Men thinking?

        1. You make a great point, Tony. “Dopey” and “nonthreatening” are major themes in ads today, especially in the portrayal of men.

          Except for Mayhem, I guess. He’s pretty threatening. 😛

    2. I record my favorite shows so I can blow by the obnoxious ads like Allstate and not have to see and hear this obnoxious, nauseating trash.

  11. I love the guy who plays “Mayhem” and enjoy these ads. I always leave the sound on and they always at least make me smile.

    When I have had to use insurance because something dreadful (and maybe dumb) has occurred, I always feel like The Fates took a giant dump on me; Something somewhere is laughing… I think this commercial feeds into that sort of feeling, that forces are conspiring against us. Allstate knows it, too.

    The Emu commercial is past stupid. W.T.H. has a big, stupid, dirty-looking (and nasty) bird got to do with ANYTHING? Gross.

    1. I get you, boocat. Some Mayhem commercials are pretty good. I really like this one:

      And I’m starting to wonder if Liberty Mutual knows the LiMu ads aren’t working. I’m seeing fewer of them and fewer people are talking about them. Brace yourself for what’s next. 😛

      Thanks for visiting!

  12. Right now, the “WHAT” in the Mayhem ad is my all-time favorite ad. Now every time I hear a person speaking and if they happen to ask What… the commercial comes to mind. I love it! I watch the whole ad all way through every time. I absolutely love it!

      1. LOL! Not really. I hate commercials that have jingles that stick in your head all day. I swear they are using subliminals.

    2. Yeah! I enjoy Mayhem commercials. I thought Mahem being the snow collapsing the garage roof was clever. And I actually watch the ad when the poor guy is yelling “What?” at his phone’s porch camera. I agree with Jackie R.

  13. I hate this commercial so much, I actually emailed the company to complain about it. What a waste of advertising dollars.

        1. Keep the faith, Disgusted. One of your fellow readers has contacted several companies to share her feedback on their commercials. She’s received personal replies from more than one company saying they’d take down the offensive ads. And according to her, they did!

          So, yes, your voice can make a difference. Just be nice, OK? As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey. 🙂

  14. For some reason I am not particularly annoyed by the WHAT…..but what does drive me to a high degree of displeasure is the State Farm woman shrieking Dont Mess With My Discount….

    1. I’ll have to look that one up, Tony. Haven’t seen it — but then again, we mute every damn commercial that comes on in this house, so maybe I just didn’t notice it.

  16. Commercial sucks, last thing you want to do when stealing a car is draw attention to yourself. What I really want to know is what to know is what the flag said on it.

  17. I feel Mayhem is making some feel that STEALING CARS and other things is an actual JOB. Crime is up in our neighborhood and city. People think it is OK to just break a car window and take what is inside. Or open a bathroom window, crawl through and steal things from someones home. None of that is OK. That Mayhem commercial now has two reasons to be taken off the air.

    1. Hi, Warren. I don’t think this TV commercial glamorizes car theft, exactly, but it does portray crime as funny. Sadly, there are a lot of kids — and other idiots out there — who may get the wrong idea.

      Is this ad irresponsible? Maybe. But as we are seeing more and more, advertisers will do anything to try and get a laugh.

  18. I’d be interested to know what commercials you actually LIKE. This whole series is incredibly funny. I don’t find them in any way annoying. In fact, every time “what?” comes on we turn up the sound. “What?” has become a “thing” – if someone says “what?” in response to a barely heard comment, someone else in the room replies “what?” a little louder, then another, etc.

    Of course, I actually have a sense of humor, so you’ll have to excuse me. I feel like if you don’t have a sense of humor today, you are in for a lot of grief.

    Lighten up!

    1. You know what they say, Bill. There’s no accounting for good taste. This ad may be cute and chuckle-worthy the first time one sees it, but after the second or seventh or seventeenth time, it’s akin to a fiery pine cone being shoved up one’s ass.

      Also, if you hadn’t noticed, this blog is called The Cranky Creative. Being critical is kind of my thing.

      Thanks for stopping by.

    2. These commercials are incredibly stupid.
      I bet you think arm farts a funny too!
      [personal attack deleted by moderator]

      1. Hey Disgusted…I’m 70 and still think farts are funny, particularly Jack Vale in Walmart….I may be immature in that respect, but am mature enough to usually abstain from personal, confrontational, and dismissive attacks of other’s opinions such as you displayed. I think Mayhem is OK, although in the Licking ad it may be a tad over the line for the women to comment (quietly enough to be easily missed) “dont do that you were eating poop a half hour ago”. There is a hard to shake visual elicited from that…..perhaps akin in theory to subliminal monster faces in ice cubes in printed liquor ads years ago. The ads I cant abide are the stupid emu and partner….probably copying the Jamie the nonthreatening dope theory. The shrieking ones with “dont mess with my discount” I find far more abrasive than “What”. Stay Cranky Rob…I may be catching the disease. Cap’n Curmudgeon

        1. Hey, Cap’n! Great to hear from you.

          I’ve edited or removed the comments with personal attacks. Thank you for calling that out.

          As I type this, I am gearing up to watch and review EVERY Super Bowl ad, with a post to follow just as soon as I can write it. So, stay tuned!

          Also, I had no idea who Jack Vale was until today. So… thank you? Ha!

          You sure are an interesting guy. 😛

          1. I’m just a cranky Old Boomer…but when my general annoyance level peaks, a little Jack Vale in Walmart restores perspective.
            Currently enjoying Cialdidi’s Pre-Suasion….advertising and influence are such interesting subjects, regret I missed a career there (maybe). Liberty Mutual needs a new agency….I heard GEICO uses three, and I think they are doing a pretty good job. I wish SPCA would switch their approach to that used by Shriners Hospital. Stay cranky, my friend!

  19. Stupid advert does not show the 20 minutes between Mayhem smashing the window. disarming the steering wheel lock and reprogramming the remote key identification software. It’s 2019 and car security just does not allow you to drive away that easy!

    1. Anonymous, are you suggesting Allstate put out a 20-minute version of this commercial? I can just hear it now:

      “Hey, Jeff, I’ve just smashed your window and now I’m disabling your steering-wheel lock!”

      “WHAT?”

      “Yeah! Now I’m reprogramming the remote key identification software!”

      “WHAAAT!?!”

      Thanks, but no thanks.

  20. Please, please get rid of this grating. commercial. Step 1 was muting, Step 2 is turning it off, and Step 3 has me running for my anti anxiety medicine! I’m glad I found this support group. First time in my life I have hated an ad so much.

    1. Hi, Marianne. You’re right, this commercial gets a rise out of me, too–and not in a good way. I think it affects some people more than others . . . It grates on my nerves for sure.

      But, cheer up! I suspect this ad may be near the end of its run. Let us hope, anyway. In the meantime, thanks for your comment. If you’d like to share other annoying ads we should take on here, just let me know.

      Stop back again sometime!

      1. Now, now, Jackie. I get plenty of search traffic from people Googling “I hate Allstate Mayhem WHAT” along with various other colorful adjectives.

        Lots of people are as annoyed by it as I am.

  21. Ok, so I’m not the only one. I absolutely cannot stand it each time this guy says “WHAT?” I don’t recall ever being this annoyed by a TV commercial.

    1. Agree 100%, Anonymous. My feelings exactly, and why I had to review this ad. Welcome to the support group!

    2. I don’t know if they have WAWA where you reside but they had a hoagie-fest commercial that drove me bonkers.

      1. Nope, no WAWA here. But I checked out a few of their ads. Kind of goofy, but nothing that made me want to throw my television out the window.

                1. Liberty Mutual, you say? That’s another one of my favs. The guy with the bicycle and the huge calves always reminds me of my grandson who is a basketball player in college. Joshua’s calves are not quite that large but they are attention-getters. I just don’t care to hear the liberty, liberty, liberteeeeeee part.

  22. I hate this ad enough to run for the remote every time it comes on. It is beyond obnoxious and just makes me HATE ALLSTATE for putting it on.

    2. I hate this ad so much that I will NEVER buy insurance through Allstate. They should make future advertisements designed to make people WANT to buy their insurance … not despise it so much that they mute it or fast forward past it like I do. The kind of ads that I like are for Budweiser. I don’t even drink beer … never have and probably never will. But if I was to change my mind or if Budweiser came out with a soda, I would DEFINITELY choose it. I LOVE their commercials!!!

      1. I’m with you, Jeannette. People who can sit through this ad for repeated viewings must enjoy bedlam. And you make a good point — advertisers don’t need to do this. Some, like Budweiser, actually make commercials that people like to watch.

        Thanks for reading.

  23. I couldn’t agree with you more on the annoying dialogue in this ad. I googled looking to see if anyone else found the ad as irritating as me, and you nailed it. Thanks!

    1. You bet, Matt. I’m surprised a whole lot more people haven’t complained about this ad. It certainly deserves it.

      Thanks for reading!

      1. It seems Allstate was attempting to attract attention to the commercial. Looks like it worked.

  24. Truthfully, I am amused when Mayhem knocks over the mailbox and motorcycle and exits laughing. Knocking over mailboxes is entertaining! Probably testimony re my/our social dysfunction .
    I’m ok with Mayhem.

    1. Hey, Tony. Yeah, I honestly get a chuckle out of the mailbox smashing, too. The problem is, I only saw it after I decided to review the ad. Up until then, I had always muted the volume (or thrown my television into the back yard) as soon as I heard the first “WHAAT!!” That just killed it for me.

      Thanks for your comment.

  25. Next you should do that new Budweiser commercial, where the kids ask their step-dads to adopt them after 20-plus years. Jesus! Being a dad who married into a step-child, I wanted her included in the marriage ceremony, and I adopted her as soon as possible. It is kind of like that Chevy commercial. Generates an emotional response, but for the wrong reason. Ugh!

    1. Budweiser is getting into tear-jerking stepdad stuff, eh? We’ve come a long way from Budman.

      I wonder how many Bud-drinking guys and gals really groove on that sort of approach—or if they’d rather just see their favorite beer brand focus on what it does best: good times and bad decisions among friends.

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