TV ad is driving bad road habits

Chatting on cellphones, a trolley on the road…

IN THE latest TV advert for Outsurance about the man coming home and driving all through the night to be with his family the next morning, he is shown talking while on the phone (against the law) to his wife and daughter, “Pumpkin” – a term of endearment of course.

Then we see the truck driver also glancing at his phone, checking messages or something (against the law again), and we have the trolley bag lady at the side of the road (against the law as she’s not on the pavement), and all at night in the pouring rain.

The truck swerves, lights flash and then… SEE THE ENDING on a website, really! I mean really! I would like to know how many hits they got on that, hmm? And showing us how to break the law in so many ways.

Definitely a Raspberry for that one. I must add that this advert was not my favourite, as I do not like unhappy endings, which it leaves you to ponder.

This week I see the ending has been put up and it is a happy one – we see Daddy in a wheelchair calling Pumpkin to the kitchen for supper.

Yes, it’s nice to know that he didn’t die, BUT… what about the truck driver? The bag lady? And the dog that was running in the street?

Okay, there wasn’t a dog, and it’s good to know they cover you for such claims, but perhaps a little more thought should go into how and why, and what happens needs to be explained?

And perhaps they should not show the bad habits of what is a minority of road users (I hope!) to make their case. Perhaps a Strawberry for the ending being a somewhat happy one?

So now what… the third advert has come out. Fifteen years down the road, Pumpkin is driving her own car and Daddy is walking around as if nothing happened to him.

Miracles do happen, they say – what I was wondering, though, is that three years into 15 years of getting his money back paid for dad’s hospital bills… just asking.

Can’t wait for the next advert – perhaps the parents will be in an old-age home and Pumpkin will have her own children to teach to drive.

PS: Do over 60s get a discount?

Jackie Schutte Edenvale