Am I being Paranoid?

[Ripley]

I just received my auto insurance bill from Progressive. They had an insert which said they are changing their name to "Drive."

I understand corporations change their names and logos sometimes, but I thought it was usually due to mergers or updating their names.

It just seems odd to me that they're going from a name that is politically perceived to mean "liberal" to a name that (despite increasing oil prices, oil wars and peak oil) sounds like a not so subliminal hint to consume more oil. I mean afterall, if one is looking for auto insurance, one presumably already owns a vehicle...why encourage them to DRIVE?

In our current climate where everything is labeled politically correct by the RW Noise Machine, it wouldn't surprise me if the Board of Directors over at Progressive decided the name was "bad for business."

Anyone know who runs that company?

[elehhhhna]

1. Some people say they were being confused with the canned soup company.

[tk2kewl]

5. lol

[Ripley]

7. Huuuuuuuuh?

What canned soup company?

And don't say "Progressive." :spank:

You mean Progresso?

LOL!

[Radio-Active]

2. thought I heard Progressive was run by Democrats

anyway, "Drive" is a stupid name

[tk2kewl]

6. wingers

[Florida_Geek]

3. Yes you are being paranoid :)

Go to this link and it explains the three companies

http://www.progressive.com/Progressive/companies.asp

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. thanks

[Mistress Quickly]

4. What a stupid name

And the founder is progressive, strong legalization of marijuana advocate, donates to the good causes.

[Ripley]

8. Thank you.

If that's true, I like em and I'm glad I give them my insurance money.

But it is a VERY STUPID NAME.

[RPM]

11. any dumber than 1-800-SAFE-AUTO

at some level it tells you what their product allows you to do...

[Ripley]

13. Yeah, kinda like General Electric!

They let me know that they produce electricity for my home! Not that they produce machines that carry bombs to kill people or anything.

"At some level" you say...what would that be? I don't know that I'm driving a car in order to get car insurance? Oh, I get it. Americans are so dumbed down...they need that.

Hey! Providence! (courtesy a dictionary: divine guidance or care b capitalized : God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny) So if I buy their product it allows me...............

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrvvvvvvvvvvvvvaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaa?

[samtob]

10. I think I can clear it up a little

Progressive has pretty much screwed their agency force in the past five years.

They have been directly competing with their agents by writing the same coverage for less money directly. In order for their appointed agents to write a policy for the same dollar amount Progressive would write it for, the agent had to choose a program that paid very little commission.

When Progressive started advertising heavily, and moving toward a direct writing company, instead of writing through independent agents, they started catching a lot of flack from the agency force.

The "Drive Insurance" appears to be in consideration of the agents. They are marketing the benefits of working with an agent within the Drive Insurance program.

I doubt it has anything to do with political correctness. Progressive is still the name of the company, Drive is just a subsidiary.

Progressive will still be the name on the policies for those who call them direct, for those working through an agent, you will see Drive Insurance (underwritten by Progressive) on your policy

[Ripley]

14. Thanks for that explanation.

Still a dumb name.

[damntexdem]

12. Yes, yes you are.

But they ARE out to get you.

And at least they're not changing their name to Regressive Insurance.

[leftofthedial]

15. "Pinko Commie Liberal" brand frozen vegetables

are changing their name too, to "Kill 'Em If THey Don't Love Jesus" brand frozen vegetables.

[Ripley]

16. Making fun of me eh?

How about when we see Marlboro and Exxon and AOL (once again) change their names to be "less American sounding" because it is hurting their bottom line?

GE? Happy faces with energy saving light bulbs. Not the death toll in Iraq with their weapon systems.

I could go on...

[leftofthedial]

17. not making fun

just having fun