Car Insurance Ad Mascots We Love: Mayhem from Allstate

Car insurance is serious business, but some of the best car insurance companies use comedy to make their TV ads more memorable -- and hopefully more effective. Whether it's Jake from State Farm or the Geico Gecko, car insurers are trying to stay top-of-mind by tickling your funny bone. One of the most surprisingly funny auto insurance ad mascots of recent years is Mayhem from Allstate, played by actor Dean Winters.

Allstate's Mayhem is a creative spin on the usual insurance ad spokesperson. Instead of a friendly, reassuring, smiling face, Mayhem is a dastardly prankster. Mayhem is a little eerie and confrontational, like the character is meant to make you a little uncomfortable. He's a slightly risky choice for an ad mascot, but it works. Mayhem spotlights the risks of everyday life that can cost you big money in case of a car crash or other misfortunes.

Let's look at a few reasons why Mayhem from Allstate is such a powerful car insurance ad mascot, and how the creative messaging of Allstate's ads might help you get a better deal on car insurance.

Mayhem from Allstate: The cartoon villain of car insurance

At the start of every ad, Mayhem introduces himself, taking on the role of some new kind of destruction that's about to happen to your vehicle or home, like "I'm a social media-addicted teen" or "I'm a parking gate that's all out of whack," or "I'm a hungry bear that just came out of hibernation." Over the course of the ad, Mayhem proceeds to cause distracted driving, crash into parked cars at a football game, break car windows to rampage through a backseat cooler, and otherwise cause the mayhem that's in his name.

Mayhem doesn't represent Allstate -- he represents all the damage and financial devastation that Allstate insurance can protect you from! And while many other car insurance companies emphasize how you can get discounts, Mayhem makes an appeal to the value of paying a little extra for comprehensive insurance coverage. At the end of each ad, Mayhem has a warning: "If you've got cut-rate car insurance, you could end up paying for this yourself."

Why the best car insurance is worth the money

Mayhem from Allstate is a clever, creative ad mascot, and his message is surprisingly subtle but effective: Sometimes, you shouldn't go with the cheapest car insurance. If you cut back too far on your coverage, you might end up paying for extra costs that you can't afford from your emergency savings.

The Ascent's review of Allstate car insurance found that this company doesn't have the lowest-priced car insurance; its premiums tended to be higher than most competitors. But Allstate offers insurance in all 50 states through its national network of insurance agents. If you don't want to buy your car insurance online or from an insurtech app, and want the option of in-person support and local customer service, Allstate could be worth paying a higher premium.

But don't assume that Allstate is always expensive. Your car insurance rates will depend on where you live, your age, what car you drive, and other factors. Allstate offers a few ways to get car insurance discounts, with a pay-per-mile insurance plan called Milewise®, and a telematics insurance tool called Drivewise® that rewards you for safer driving. You can also save money on Allstate insurance by bundling policies. Allstate made our list of best homeowners insurance companies, with generous discounts of up to 25% for bundling home and auto.

Here are a few of my favorite Mayhem ads from Allstate.

Mayhem Competitive PickUp: Sibling rivalry gone too far

"I'm your over-competitive brother," Mayhem says as he squares up for an excessively intense game of one-on-one basketball in the driveway. With lots of hard fouls and trash talk, cruelly reminding his brother of past romantic failures, Mayhem baits his brother into an angry slam dunk that rips the siding off the garage -- causing a big challenge for the homeowners insurance.

Beauty Blogger: Another risk of social media

"I'm an aspiring beauty blogger," Mayhem says, preparing for a "mermaid hair how-to." But then he leaves his red-hot hair straightener resting on a towel, causing a fire. He leaves the burning bedroom with a warning: "If you've got the wrong home insurance, paying for this is gonna leave a mark."

Mayhem Bear: Post-hibernation snacks can be costly

"I'm a bear," Mayhem says, strutting toward a parked SUV in the woods. "While you're hitting the trail, I'm hitting your cooler," he says, breaking into the car, rifling around for snacks, smashing a window, and leaving a mess. "Your cut-rate car insurance might not pay for all this," the "bear" warns.

Bottom line

Mayhem from Allstate made our list of best car insurance ad mascots because he's a clever, sometimes unnerving-in-a-good-way comic villain. Not every insurance company would use such an edgy, attention-grabbing character. But every ad shows some funny new destruction, and Mayhem's warning rings true: The best insurance is sometimes worth paying for, even if it's not the cheapest premium. If you want comprehensive coverage with support from local agents, Allstate can help.