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Buckle Your Seat Belts: Advertising and Credit

By Tara Colquitt

Real Estate Sales Representative with Tara Colquitt, The Credit Woman, LLC

April 21, 2008 04:18 PM

Just a little observation.

Most car insurance commercials talk about their rates and how a good driving record is rewarded. I must admit, I don't really hear them anymore. Except the Allstate guy. What a voice. But I heard something today that caught my attention.

We don't check your credit.

It is well known in the industry that your credit is a factor in, well, everything. But it is not mentioned in 'polite' company. But this insurance company has found a marketing slogan that will garner them record calls.

Now, I have no idea of their rates. But the fact is with so many people's credit being tarnished with a scoring system that can very unforgiving, they have found a niche market that needs to be served.

Is this the future of advertising? Perhaps. It will take years for many to recover from being the proverbial roadkill on the highway of our current economic state.

With luck, it will not take so long.

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
Seneca, Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD

Make your own luck. Or as Scar, from the Lion King sang, 'Be Prepared'. Still my favorite Disney film.

For more information contact:

Tara Colquitt, Consumer Credit Advocate

TheCreditWoman@gmail.com

www.credittalk101.com

215-350-2483

Comments(15)

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Susan Davis

Austin, TX

Excellence Advocate

So who said that... Allstate?

Apr 21, 2008 04:33 PM

Tara Colquitt

Tara Colquitt, The Credit Woman, LLC - Philadelphia, PA

Credit Counselor

Susan: No, I really wasn't paying attention to the commercial. I just heard credit. Kinda my thing. When I see the commercial again I will note the company. Thanks for commenting.

Apr 21, 2008 04:37 PM

Thanks for putting it out there! That would be a great company to look into to refer to customers who are in that situation.

Apr 21, 2008 04:51 PM

Tony Fantis

Fantis Group Real Estate - Salt Lake City, UT

Realtor,Principal Broker - Salt Lake City

Amazing how commercials talk about the things that matter leas, in many cases!

Apr 21, 2008 04:52 PM

Leesa Finley

RED Properties - Wake Forest, NC

RED Properties - Raleigh NC Real Estate

I have heard that angle in ton's of advertising in my area. Pretty interesting and yes, I do think it is a new "niche" for many companies that they will take advantage of. Hakuna Matata, my friend....

Apr 21, 2008 10:40 PM

Susan: The company is called 'Cure'.

Tony: That is true, but since it happens in politics can we really be surprised it permeates all aspects of our lives. Okay, it is election day in Pennsylvania and I am inundated with election talk.

Leesa: You make me laugh! Hakuna Matata! I haven't heard that in years! I must watch the DVD soon again.

Back to business: This was the first time I saw an advertisement on TV.

Hakuna Matata...Thank you for making my day. No worries, right?

Apr 21, 2008 11:06 PM

Jeff Fullmer

FM Properties - Idaho Falls, ID

Real Estate Investor/Financier

Tara, my insurance agent said next year they will switch to the scoring system. I WANT to be with an agency that pulls credit because a good credit score will drop my rates by 10 to 20%! Great advertising idea.

Hmm... "Get your home loan here, we don't pull credit!" Think I would get a call or two? = )

Apr 22, 2008 04:15 AM

Jeff: Yep, good scores are rewarded. Poor scores; may not get insurance with many companies.

And yes, your phone would ring off the hook! I had a man offer to buy a house with $40k down. The kicker? He had $20k of child support in arrears and wanted us to hold the mortgage. No way dude! Did he really think I would be okay with that? Obviously, he didn't know me.

Apr 22, 2008 05:18 AM

I have no patience with past due child support. If the guy won't even take care of his own children how can you expect him to take care of a mortgage payment?

Apr 22, 2008 05:58 AM

Jeff: Exactly! He showed who he was immediately.

Apr 22, 2008 06:00 AM

Eugene Jones

Weichert Realtors - Somerville, NJ

It's tough enough to get a job or a place to live with poor credit, now they're making harder to drive? Cause we all know without insurance you can't drive your car. With all the money we pay for "just in case" something to happen, there should be some kind of kick back to consumers. But I guess in the meantime, protect your credit like your life depended on it, cause it really does.

p.s. I use to love The Lion King. My oldest daughter (Aliyah) and I were hooked on the Nintendo game. Which I made it all the way to the end and defeated Scar I might add.

Apr 23, 2008 01:24 AM

Eugene: ...like your life depended on it... I will use your quote. Thanks! And congrats on defeating Scar. A very worthy opponent.

Apr 23, 2008 09:08 AM

Ceola Shelton

Elite Realtors of New Jersey - South Orange, NJ

Here in N. Central NJ people consider this bad credit no car insurance very discriminatory. Are people with bad credit also bad drivers? Or are they concerned that people with bad credit won't pay their insurance premiums?

Apr 23, 2008 11:43 PM

Hey Ceola! Nice to see you here!

The theory is that if you don't have good credit your judgment on other issues, like driving, is also impaired. I wonder if people who drive impaired have good credit? Since I know a couple and they do have good credit, this is obviously flawed logic.

Apr 23, 2008 11:55 PM

Well, this will certainly be a nightmare in some areas where the foreclosure rate is through the roof. I would love to see the research that says people with bad credit are also have impaired judgement when it comes to driving. Sounds very suspect to me.

P.S. Trying to do this blogging thing, although it's a very foreign process for me. Trying to get my head around it.

Apr 24, 2008 12:37 AM

Buckle Your Seat Belts: Advertising and Credit

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