entry 5

 Thesis Statement: The Allstate Mayhem commercial uses humor, personification, and fear to convey the unpredictability of life’s mayhem and the necessity of having reliable insurance.

Topic Sentence 1: The purpose of the ad, beyond promoting Allstate insurance, is to highlight the unpredictability and chaos (‘Mayhem’) that can occur in everyday life, and how Allstate can provide protection against it.

Topic Sentence 2: The author of the ad wants the audience to experience amusement and a mild sense of fear. The humor comes from the absurdity of a grown man acting as a teenage girl, while the fear is induced by the potential consequences of distracted driving.

Topic Sentence 3: The advertisement promotes a lifestyle of responsibility and preparedness. It implies the value of foresight in anticipating and mitigating risks in life.

Topic Sentence 4: The target audience is likely to be adults who own a vehicle and have responsibilities. This is inferred from the context of car insurance and the potential consequences showcased in the ad.

Topic Sentence 5: The ad reflects American culture’s emphasis on individual responsibility, preparedness, and the value placed on safety and protection.

Topic Sentence 6: The design of the advertisement is strategic. The first thing you see is the pink truck, then the ‘teenage girl’ causing an accident, and finally the Allstate logo and slogan. This setup effectively communicates the message of ‘Mayhem’ and the solution - Allstate.

The humor in these advertisements comes from the personification of ‘Mayhem’ and the absurd situations he creates. The audience is expected to react with amusement and recognition of the need for reliable insurance.