This week's discussion will focus on describing a primary target market for two well-known American automobile insurance brands, brands that perhaps have different primary target markets and different positionings in consumers' minds. We are going to discuss State Farm Insurance and Progressive Insurance, and focus on their auto insurance product area.

Do the following:

1. Look at the ads for these brands noted in the links below. Make sure to look at both brand's ads. This will help you see differences in their primary target markets and brand positionings.
2. You can also look at their social media and/or their website for insight into their target market and brand positioning, if you choose to do so. But the ads are the primary focus.

Facebook - State Farm

Facebook - Progressive

newsroom.statefarm.com,

progressive.mediaroom.com

3. Select one of these brands - State Farm Insurance or Progressive Insurance.

4. Answer the 3 question prompts below - Q1- Q3.

Q1. After looking at all the ads, for the brand you selected describe the Primary Target Market for this brand of auto insurance product? Give at least 4-5 variables that describe the primary target market for the car insurance brand you are discussing.

Consider things that describe the primary target market by describing relevant variables. These could include but are not limited to:

• • Chp 4 and 5: demographics, economics, psychological variables, social influences, culture variables, purchase situation).

Q2. How is the Brand's Auto Insurance Product Positioned in the Ad/Promotion? How is this brand unique or different? Recall positioning of a brand/product is how the consumer/user thinks about a brand/product, how they perceive the brand/product.

Companies can use their promotion to position and differentiate their brand to appeal to their target market. What messaging components in these auto insurance ads (or other sources you used) help you describe the positioning of the brand? What themes do the ads emphasize to distinguish their brand? Do they emphasize pricing, do they emphasize service, and/or something else as the key benefit? When the target consumer sees the brand's promotion, they think, 'This brand is for me because it ...'

Q3. Can you think of any products, brands, or services (for profit or not for profit) where you can tell you or a family member are definitely in their primary target market? Tell us the product, brand, or service and give some of the specific variables that describe you as being in their primary target market. Is there a visual you can post within your discussion so the class can see the ad/visual of the product/brand you are discussing? Variables to discuss here are the same as in Q2 prompt in this discussion. Also, if you have purchased or searched the brand in the past and are getting ads on your social media accounts due to this past behavior, this is remarketing/retargeting, Chp 15 in the text. You can mention this, but include some other specific variables, in addition to past search behaviors, that make you in their primary target market.

Share a product, brand, or service in the country you reside in or are from, if you can! International insights add to the class.