Allstate's Mayhem Campaign Makes a Mark

Already iconic, The Allstate Mayhem commercials bumped them up a level for 2016. The successful multi-year Mayhem campaign needed some new life, and Allstate delivered in a myriad of ways.

The Mayhem campaign kicked off during the Allstate Sugar Bowl with a call for real life DIY mishaps. The company posted a number of them online. They encouraged viewers to vote for their favorite, awarding one lucky voter with a $25,000 Lowe’s gift card. Once the votes were counted the winner’s story aired as a custom commercial during the College Football National Championship Game. To add a twist, the catch phrase “mayhem like me” was changed to “mayhem like you.”

By having a multi-layer campaign, Allstate achieved several key objectives in advertising.

Engaged the public

They strategically placed an ad during an event with high viewership that crossed a variety of demographics. By requesting the public submit true stories--they engaged their potential clients on a personal level. An added benefit, they received a multitude of ideas for future commercials/campaigns.

Provided a call to action

Contributors had to go to the site and submit their stories. Voters had to go to the site and vote for the one they wanted to see made into a commercial.

Rewarded contribution

Allstate provided a substantial reward to motivate viewers to submit and/or vote. This gave them a vested interest in viewing the outcome to see if their choice had won.

Personalized the message

The final winner aired during the most watched college football game of the year. Most viewers could relate to DIY fails at some point in their life. By modifying the message Allstate personalized the campaign which caused the consumer to stop and think about their own mishaps and perhaps consider increasing their insurance coverage.

While the public may never know the true impact of this multi-layer Mayhem campaign, the advertising world should take note and seek ways to integrate some of these ideas. On a personal note, I have always admired the mayhem commercials but this latest campaign displays the brilliance of Allstate (via their ad agency, Leo Burnett) to utilize many forms of media to engage their audience and get their message out.