ADverse: Don't Mess with my Patience

Advertisers are fond of using annoyance. Why? It works and it's a lot simpler to get under someone's skin that way instead of building affection. Advertising is also tailored differently for different markets. Take this ad with a female protagonist:

It presents a woman trying to get through a normal and, at times, eventful day while driving safely. The irritants here are all the obstacles that she goes through and also herself as she lashes out at everyone around her who doesn't understand what she's going through.


Now compare that to its companion ad with a male protagonist:

Here we have a man who is tempted to escape his routine but denies himself the thrill in favor of driving safely. He doesn't even seem tempted: more afraid than anything. And the irritant is the other man, never the protagonist.


I can easily ignore the second commercial as a simple ruse to lower the insurance companies risk while the first commercial makes me leap for the remote.


Adverising and marketing discussion welcome.