Hasta La Creative!

Arnold’s latest ads for Progressive Insurance (the one above and a second one here) show guys in sleek black motorcycle outfits doing household tasks like folding laundry and hammering nails to hang paintings. The work is slightly creepy, in a good way. First of all, the woman in the “Towels” spot above is the same woman from the M&Ms ad where the Blue M&M licks himself—guess she’d had enough of that behavior. The point of these ads: If these guys had used Progressive, their hogs would be out of the shop, and they’d be riding. (“Hog” is cycle slang. I watched Easy Rider last week and was itching for a chance to use it.) With all the buzz about industry dress codes, I suggested to AdFreak management that we adopt motorcycle garb instead of “smart casual.” They ordered me to start wearing shirts instead. That’s me—rebellious, like Peter Fonda. The shirt stays off!

—Posted by David Gianatasio