In April, beauty brand Laura Geller released a campaign called “Own your age,” which featured comedian Leanne Morgan playing a fictional character named Dr. Vick. The video is a parody of Progressive Insurance’s long-running Dr. Rick campaign, but instead of helping clients into affordable insurance, Dr. Vick helped mature women find the right makeup for them.
On May 7, Laura Geller received a cease-and-desist letter from Progressive, according to Laura Geller’s parent company, AS Beauty. But instead of beginning a quiet back-and-forth with Progressive, Laura Geller launched a new social media campaign on Tuesday with an open letter to Progressive and a free gift with purchase offer for the insurance company’s policyholders.
“Our first stop is always legal, so we had a conversation where [our legal advisors] evaluated the letter and [we realized it] didn’t have much merit to [make us] take the campaign down,” Sara Mitzner, vp of brand marketing at AS Beauty, told Glossy. Once the team got the legal clearance, they began brainstorming with Laura Geller PR firm Alison Brod on how to respond.
“Our marketing strategy is action-oriented and it’s in our nature to be transparent with our consumer. So, as soon as we got the clear from legal, we went for it,” Mitzner told Glossy. “We think we’re advocating for our customers by saying we are not taking the ad down. We love Progressive’s campaign, too, so [we thought] maybe it would be fun to do something together.” As part of the campaign posted Tuesday, Laura Geller ended with a survey asking its followers if they would like to see a collaboration between the beauty and insurance companies. “We definitely have customer crossover,” Mitzer said.
Progressive’s Dr Rick campaign started in 2016 and revolves around a fictional doctor played by actor Bill Glass. In the ads, he helps clients avoid turning into their parents, including how they shop for car insurance. In Laura Geller’s ad, Dr. Vick helps mature women act their age, partially by selecting the right cosmetics.
In the United States, parody and satire are protected under the First Amendment as a form of free speech. If legal proceedings were to take place, a court is likely to look at four main arguments to determine if the content in question is considered “fair use” or protected by copyright, according to the Berkman Klein Center for internet and society at Harvard University. This includes how much the work has been changed, how much of the work was mimicked, if it’s educational or entertainment, and whether or not the new work hurts the value of the original work.
In Instagram posts shared by Laura Geller’s admin on Tuesday, the team shared an open letter to Progressive and promoted a GWP offer for Progressive customers who make a purchase on Laura Geller’s e-commerce site. For every purchase made on LauraGeller.com, policyholders will receive an Italian Marble Lipstick, which sells for $18, and a branded handheld mirror. The offer is available now through July 18.
“We did a poll on Instagram, and 73% of respondents said they would like to see [a Progressive x Laura Geller collaboration]; so far, all our DMs have been really positive,” Mitzner told Glossy on Tuesday. “Everyone liked the post, so we’ll double down tomorrow.” This will include posting a direct link to the sale offer, which can be found on the Laura Geller site.
Progressive is known for its successful advertising campaigns, including its “Flo and the Squad” series. According to Cheddar News, the character Flo, who is played by comedian Stephanie Courtney, helped Progressive become the insurance juggernaut it is today. The campaign started in 2008, when Progressive held a 4% market share of auto insurance. After Flo, it jumped to 13%. The campaign has been written about by The New York Times and featured in a digital documentary made to explain Flo’s origin story.
Glossy reached out to Progressive Insurance for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Update: On Wednesday, Laura Geller’s team pivoted its strategy and launched the GWP open to anyone instead of just Progressive policyholders.
