When the plane lands in Paris, after you praise the pilot for a perfect landing, you quickly point out the Eiffel Tower to the person sitting next to you or anyone within earshot.
Dr. Rick is very disappointed in you.
“No applause,” says an exasperated yet ever-patient character in a new ad for Progressive Insurance. “This is the end of a flight, not a Broadway show.”
But just like the past four years, Dr. Rick is ready to save young homeowners from themselves: from becoming parents. This time, the popular ongoing campaign has a seasonal travel hook and, while there’s no official Olympic connection, it does make a nod to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Like other non-sponsoring brands capitalizing on upcoming global events, Progressive is choosing its words carefully: The series of ads, which launched today with longtime agency Arnold, talks about live sports coverage and visiting Paris’ landmarks but makes no mention of the Olympics (which would violate the company’s closely guarded trademarks).
Capturing the Zeitgeist
The marketing effort is core to Progressive’s mission to “deliver more culturally and contextually relevant advertising,” Sade Balogun, senior business leader, brand experience, told ADWEEK. The Olympics represent a “moment on the cultural calendar that’s competing” for consumer attention as they saturate mainstream media and the public consciousness.
Meanwhile, travel to Europe and elsewhere is surging: France alone is expected to attract 16 million tourists this summer, at least a quarter of whom are Americans, Balogun said.
Dr. Rick Fun Fact: While the self-described “parenting life coach” has previously featured travel-themed ads, Balogun said the current campaign is “a more authentic effort that ties into our evolving strategy.”
Veteran Progressive advertising personality Dr. Rick imparts practical advice in “How to Not Be a Parent in Paris.” Progressive Insurance
“Escape from Parenthood in Paris” includes several firsts for the brand, including a remixed audio tour of Paris in partnership with travel guru Rick Steves, outdoor advertising in airports in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Atlanta, and selling “Dr. Rick Will See You Now” in vending machines at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Targeting a diverse range of millennials
The campaign will be heavily social and digital, with Dr Rick appearing on sites like Expedia and TripAdvisor to offer his patented, actionable advice, as well as a hotline for Dr Rick’s insights and tips. The brand has partnered with several content creators with the aim of reaching a diverse millennial audience, which Balogun said is “a new venture for us.”
Titled “The Glory Days,” the hero spot warns sports watchers not to use their high school athletics careers as an excuse to dig up their past, because, according to Dr. Rick, “nobody cares.”
The series of social-first ads feature iconic landmarks in the City of Lights, highlighting moments that might tempt parents to make a weary comment. Seeing the Arc de Triomphe might make them “talk about the efficiency of roundabouts,” says Dr Rick. “Silent marvel, you’re on holiday, you’re not studying to be a civil engineer.”
Arnold’s team first featured Dr. Rick, played by actor Bill Glass, in a 2017 ad called “Group Session,” and brought him back as a central character in 2020 with Flo and other Progressive advertisers.
Dr. Rick rushes to the rescue
Since then, the creative team has looked for places where “he would be a natural fit” and fulfilled the brand’s request to engage with consumers where they are spending their time, with the goal of increasing affinity and consideration for the brand, said Sean McBride, Arnold’s chief creative officer.
Travel, Olympics-related or not, makes sense as a backdrop because it offers plenty of “trigger environments” where Dr. Rick’s wisdom could come in handy, McBride said.
“It’s easy to think about where Dr. Rick should go next,” McBride told ADWEEK, “but we have to go where there is honest insight, like how your mom or dad would react when they ordered at a restaurant like Sweetgreen. That’s what travel is all about.”
There are plenty of clichés about Baby Boomer behavior that could be used in a Dr. Rick commercial, but the creators are trying to avoid the easy way out.
“The idea has to be absolutely true,” McBride says, “but it has to be surprising because it’s something you’ve never heard before.”
