So, I was watching an insurance ad the other day—one of those dramatic ones where a guy crashes his car and the narrator’s voice says something like “Are you protected when life takes a turn?” It got me thinking: do these kinds of fear-based insurance ads actually work anymore? Or are people tired of being scared into buying something that’s supposed to make them feel safe?
I’ve seen insurance advertising take so many forms lately—some are funny, some emotional, and some straight-up terrifying. As someone who works loosely in marketing (and as a customer who has to sit through these ads), I can’t help but wonder if there’s a “right” way to do it. Should insurance ads scare us into paying attention, make us laugh to build trust, or just talk to us honestly like a friend?
Then there’s the entertaining side—funny ads that make you remember the brand. I love those, personally. But when I talked to a few friends, they said they remember the jokes more than the company. Like, someone will mention the ad with the dancing grandma, but no one remembers which insurer it was for. So maybe entertainment helps recall, but not always trust.
That made me realize something: when it comes to something as sensitive as insurance, people don’t just want attention-grabbing—they want assurance. They want to feel like the company understands their problems, not just profits from them.
And honestly, I’ve started noticing that the brands doing best in insurance marketing now are the ones that talk about real people. They share testimonials, everyday stories, and relatable moments—like a mom saving for her kid’s future or a small business owner covering his team. It’s not flashy, but it feels human.
The balance is tricky. Too much fear, and it’s off-putting. Too much humor, and it feels insincere. That’s when I came across an interesting blog that broke down this exact debate in a really thoughtful way. It’s titled Insurance Advertising: Should It Scare, Entertain, or Inspire Trust — and it explains how brands can mix emotional appeal with trust-driven messaging without sounding fake. Worth a read if you’re curious about how the big players are handling it lately.
One campaign I really liked recently used the tagline “We’re here for your tomorrow.” Simple, but it hit differently. It didn’t scare me or try to make me laugh—it just made me feel that the company cared about what comes next.
So, yeah, maybe insurance advertising shouldn’t scare us or make us roll our eyes—it should just make us feel safe and understood.
What kind of insurance ads actually catch your attention—fear-based, funny, or trust-driven ones? I’d love to hear what other people think, because honestly, I’m still figuring it out too.
I’ve seen insurance advertising take so many forms lately—some are funny, some emotional, and some straight-up terrifying. As someone who works loosely in marketing (and as a customer who has to sit through these ads), I can’t help but wonder if there’s a “right” way to do it. Should insurance ads scare us into paying attention, make us laugh to build trust, or just talk to us honestly like a friend?
The Confusion: Fear vs. Feel-Good Ads
For years, fear-based advertising was the go-to for insurance. The idea was simple: make people realize how risky life is, and they’ll run to buy protection. It worked back then because fear sold urgency. But lately, I feel like people have become desensitized to it. We see so much bad news every day—accidents, natural disasters, economic uncertainty—that when an ad adds more fear, it just blends into the noise.Then there’s the entertaining side—funny ads that make you remember the brand. I love those, personally. But when I talked to a few friends, they said they remember the jokes more than the company. Like, someone will mention the ad with the dancing grandma, but no one remembers which insurer it was for. So maybe entertainment helps recall, but not always trust.
What I Noticed Personally
I once ran a small test for a client (not an insurance company, but still in finance). We created two ad concepts: one fear-based and one trust-based. The fear one got more initial clicks—people can’t help but look when something sounds risky—but the trust-based one actually converted better in the long run. People stuck around to read more, asked questions, and felt less pressured.That made me realize something: when it comes to something as sensitive as insurance, people don’t just want attention-grabbing—they want assurance. They want to feel like the company understands their problems, not just profits from them.
And honestly, I’ve started noticing that the brands doing best in insurance marketing now are the ones that talk about real people. They share testimonials, everyday stories, and relatable moments—like a mom saving for her kid’s future or a small business owner covering his team. It’s not flashy, but it feels human.
What Didn’t Work (At Least for Me)
I tried analyzing a few popular insurance campaigns that went viral online. The overly dramatic ones (with loud music, accidents, and emotional narration) felt manipulative after a point. They got views, sure—but in comments or forums, people were calling them “fear porn” or “guilt ads.” On the flip side, some of the overly funny ones felt too casual. Like, do I really want to laugh about something as serious as life insurance?The balance is tricky. Too much fear, and it’s off-putting. Too much humor, and it feels insincere. That’s when I came across an interesting blog that broke down this exact debate in a really thoughtful way. It’s titled Insurance Advertising: Should It Scare, Entertain, or Inspire Trust — and it explains how brands can mix emotional appeal with trust-driven messaging without sounding fake. Worth a read if you’re curious about how the big players are handling it lately.
What Seems to Work Now
From what I’ve seen and tested, the ads that build trust tend to have better long-term results. Instead of trying to trigger fear or laughter, they focus on empathy and reliability. For example:- Showing real customers sharing real stories.
- Highlighting how claims are handled quickly and fairly.
- Using calm, reassuring tones instead of dramatic music or over-the-top humor.
One campaign I really liked recently used the tagline “We’re here for your tomorrow.” Simple, but it hit differently. It didn’t scare me or try to make me laugh—it just made me feel that the company cared about what comes next.
Final Thought
If you ask me, the future of insurance advertising probably lies somewhere between empathy and clarity. A little entertainment can help grab attention, sure—but at the end of the day, people are looking for peace of mind, not another source of stress or a cheap laugh.So, yeah, maybe insurance advertising shouldn’t scare us or make us roll our eyes—it should just make us feel safe and understood.
What kind of insurance ads actually catch your attention—fear-based, funny, or trust-driven ones? I’d love to hear what other people think, because honestly, I’m still figuring it out too.