I was sitting watching Property Virgins last night (which, by the way, was an incredibly unfulfilling hour of my life), and amidst the commercials for alarmist things like “Mega Disasters: Alien Infection,” I happened to see an AllState Insurance commercial that just put me through the roof. I think I’ve seen pieces of it before, but last night was the first time I saw the whole thing, and I was just appalled! The guy driving along, looking at a house… then he sees it as if it’s on fire. The mailman delivering the mail flashes to some thug busting open the mailbox to steal your identity. The scene of a wedding (this one was the topper for me) flashes to a scene of a funeral.

Okay, I get that insurance deals in worst case scenarios. But I’m not sure that attempting to instill large-scale paranoia is really the best strategy… nor is it the best execution of “You’re in good hands.” Actually… it sounds like I’m in hands that will help me pick up the pieces when the fabric of my life is inevitably torn to shreds by the fickle finger of fate!

That’s one of those things you really have to be careful of when you’re in the identity business. When you’ve made a solid strategic statement about who you are and what you stand for, your behavior has to support it, or you just seem confused and unfocused. And if you’re confused, you can bet your audience isn’t going to take the time to sort it out.

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