Progressive Insurance® Celebrates the 'Summer of Dr. Rick' - Releasing New Campaigns for Handling Social Norms and Traveling Faux Pas

News provided by

Jul 17, 2024, 11:36 ET

This summer, Parenta-Life Coach, Dr. Rick, offers up advice for young homeowners trying to un-become their parents whether it's entertaining at home, navigating social conversations or traveling overseas

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio, July 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Progressive Insurance® is thrilled to unveil new creative work featuring one of the brand's most beloved and relatable figures, Parenta-Life Coach, Dr. Rick. As young homeowners gear up for summer BBQs and travel adventures, many find themselves facing "Parentamorphosis," a condition coined by Progressive to describe the moment individuals start mirroring their parents' outdated behaviors. Fortunately, Dr. Rick is on a mission to rescue young homeowners from these tendencies with simple and practical advice. From avoiding aprons with puns to in-flight etiquette like refraining from clapping when the plane lands in France, Dr. Rick is prepared to take control of the season.

To mark the Summer of Dr. Rick and provide young homeowners with accessible tips, Progressive has introduced two new TV spots that highlight the nuances of social norms. "Hosting," which premiered on July 1, offers Dr. Rick's timely advice on what to avoid when hosting a party or BBQ. "Weather," debuting on July 15, addresses the all-too-relatable parental obsession with weather forecasts. Knowing this summer is also a prime time for travel overseas, Progressive has also released its first-ever airport out of home creative, equipping young homeowners with advice on how to pack, navigate and engage with locals in France. These tips will be featured in the following airports, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Miami International, Los Angeles International and John F. Kennedy International, with the latter including a special vending machine offering Dr. Rick's book to travelers.

"Social norms and traveling often bring out our most parent-like behaviors, and with summer being a peak season for both activities, we felt now is a timely moment for Dr. Rick to present valuable advice on how young homeowners can un-become their parents," said Remi Kent, Chief Marketing Officer at Progressive. "While Dr. Rick has been a Parenta-lifesaver for many, we wanted to extend his helpful advice to those hosting guests or traveling overseas. Our campaigns not only humorously address the 'hostess with the mostess' and 'tourist' behaviors, but also provide genuinely useful tips, especially for those traveling abroad."

For those leaving the states and venturing off to France, Progressive and Dr. Rick worked with travel expert Rick Steves to help them along the way. Rick Steves and Progressive's Dr. Rick have created a special edition guided audio tour of Paris, available on the Rick Steves Audio Europe™ Travel App. This walking tour, Historic Paris with Rick and Dr. Rick, helps listeners avoid common parental faux pas while exploring the city's cultural and historical landmarks. Starting at Notre-Dame Cathedral, leading to Sainte-Chapelle, and ending at the Pont Neuf on the River Seine, the classic Rick Steves tour is enriched with Dr. Rick's advice to avoid behaviors like reading museum plaques aloud or doing exaggerated stretches before a walk.

Doubling down on extending Dr. Rick's help, Progressive has launched a travel hotline at 1-855-2DR-RICK (1-855-237-7425). Consumers can call this number for Dr. Rick's guidance on how to avoid turning into their parents while traveling. The hotline features several different prompts for young homeowners to get instant guidance on how to travel overseas to avoid parental behaviors.

"Traveling abroad is one of the greatest risk factors for those susceptible to Parentamorphosis," says Dr. Rick. "Every airport terminal, historic landmark, or art museum can trigger symptoms, so it's important to prepare and be equipped with tips on how to un-become your parents in Paris. Luckily, I'll be here for you every step of the way - just give me a call or tune into the audio tour."

The campaign's creative, led by Arnold in partnership with Pearpop and Ninety6 (Progressive's in-house agency), will live on social, digital video, out of home at select airports, a vending machine at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Creator partnerships, and display.

For more information on how to avoid becoming your parents, visit www.progressive.com/drrickparis. If you or a loved one experiences symptoms of Parentamorphosis while traveling this summer, please call the hotline at 1-855-2DR-RICK (1-855-237-7425).

About Progressive
Progressive Insurance^® makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance, home insurance, and other protection needs. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us however it's most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, via the Progressive mobile app, or in-person with a local agent.

Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is the second largest personal auto insurer in the country, a leading seller of commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers.

Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price^®, Snapshot^®, and HomeQuote Explorer^®.

The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly atNYSE: PGR.

SOURCE Progressive Insurance