topic Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising in Community Chat

Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

PickyPicky3 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 16:50:37 GMT

Today I got an e-mail from AAA about gas discounts with a photo of a woman holding a toddler in her arms while getting gas.

I have NEVER seen anyone using a pump while holding a child. Who would do that? Has anyone ever observed this?

(I couldn't figure out how to insert the photo from e-mail.)

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Love my grandkids — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 16:51:55 GMT

@PickyPicky3 I agree, that sounds stupid. I mean, what decade do they think we're living it???

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

KingstonsMom — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:16:01 GMT

@PickyPicky3

Oh yeah, gas fumes when filling up is just great for kids....SMH.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Desertdi — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:09:22 GMT

You should drop your membership in protest

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

ValuSkr — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:12:24 GMT

You can get gas discounts via AAA?

Yes, I agree about the toddler - should have been left in the car seat while she pumped gas.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Bri369 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:15:49 GMT

In Chicago, we have had a lot of carjackings lately. I wouldn't want to leave my child in the car and risk getting carjacked.

It's not ideal to be holding your child while pumping gas, but it might be safer.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Foxxee — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:08:32 GMT

When I see something like this, I suspect a message that is trying to influence a certain target market.

AAA knows holding a child while pumping gas is not safe. Usually, when I see children in an ad, the company is targeting families, or in this case could be just a mother with a child.

It's possible, the message is AAA will come to the rescue if a mother needs gas and doesn't want to leave her child in the car alone. Locking them inside with the windows up in the summer is definitely not the answer. You noticed the absurdity of holding a child when pumping gas and could be exactly what AAA wanted you to notice.

However, it is perplexing, though, they would offer gas discounts using this type of ad because it could be encouraging drivers to pump their own gas holding their children. Is AAA trying to say something, possibly subliminal, not so obvious. It's hard to say without seeing the ad.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

KingstonsMom — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:24:54 GMT

When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

millieshops — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:31:39 GMT

@Love my grandkids In what decade did women do that? I never saw that - started buying gas in the 1950's.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

sophiesofers — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:37:48 GMT

Here in New Jersey, we don't pump our own gas. Still have the attendants do that. But I agree with @PickyPicky3 , about that photo. Happy Saint Patricks Day!

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:50:03 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.

Me too, it's what the police recommend.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Puppy Lips — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:50:36 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.

@KingstonsMom Well here in FL, and other hot states, leaving a child or a pet in a car with the windows up, even for a short time, is a bad idea. You probably don't live in a hot state and if you did, I know you would not do that. There are always tragic stories every summer about young children and pets found dead in locked cars because they got overheated. It is heartbreaking.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Anonymous032819 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:56:50 GMT

@Puppy Lips wrote:
@KingstonsMom wrote:
When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.
@KingstonsMom Well here in FL, and other hot states, leaving a child or a pet in a car with the windows up, even for a short time, is a bad idea. You probably don't live in a hot state and if you did, I know you would not do that. There are always tragic stories every summer about young children and pets found dead in locked cars because they got overheated. It is heartbreaking.

@Puppy Lips

I don't know about you, but when I pump my gas, I am standing right next to my car, and takes about 5 - 10 minutes from start to finish. And if a child were in the car, I would have the windows open part way for ventilation. And yes, I always lock my car doors when I pump gas.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Puppy Lips — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:17:27 GMT

@Anonymous032819 wrote:
@Puppy Lips wrote:
@KingstonsMom wrote:
When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.
@KingstonsMom Well here in FL, and other hot states, leaving a child or a pet in a car with the windows up, even for a short time, is a bad idea. You probably don't live in a hot state and if you did, I know you would not do that. There are always tragic stories every summer about young children and pets found dead in locked cars because they got overheated. It is heartbreaking.

@Puppy Lips

I don't know about you, but when I pump my gas, I am standing right next to my car, and takes about 5 - 10 minutes from start to finish. And if a child were in the car, I would have the windows open part way for ventilation. And yes, I always lock my car doors when I pump gas.

Of course the windows should be open, more than an inch or two, for ventilation for anyone left inside. I lock my car if I have to go into the gas station for some reason. But if I am standing right next to it to pump gas, I don't see any point in locking it if I have the keys.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Cakers3 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:29:01 GMT

I see a picture but posting it might poof.

The woman isn't holding the gas pump and the child at the same time.

Don't forget you can set that pump and walk away. It looks as though she is selecting either a payment or starting the pump.

I agree it looks odd but I doubt people are going to run out and start holding their children while pumping gas. If they haven't done so before, this picture isn't going to make them start. That would not be the purpose of getting people to sign on to AAA or the discounts.

In fact receiving the ad-people are going to either dismiss it or just read about the discount program. The picture is not going to influence them one way or another.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

KingstonsMom — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:30:50 GMT

@Puppy Lips

Actually, I live in SE coastal GA, about an 1.5 hours from FL and I also always carry an extra key, leave my car and A/C running, while I fill up.

But if I will need gas for my travels on any given day, I take care of that before I have either a child or pet in my car.....I'm a 'planner', LOL!

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

KingstonsMom — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:41:18 GMT

@Puppy Lips wrote:
@Anonymous032819 wrote:
@Puppy Lips wrote:
@KingstonsMom wrote:
When I get out of my car to pump gas, child inside or not, I ALWAYS lock my doors.
@KingstonsMom Well here in FL, and other hot states, leaving a child or a pet in a car with the windows up, even for a short time, is a bad idea. You probably don't live in a hot state and if you did, I know you would not do that. There are always tragic stories every summer about young children and pets found dead in locked cars because they got overheated. It is heartbreaking.

@Puppy Lips

I don't know about you, but when I pump my gas, I am standing right next to my car, and takes about 5 - 10 minutes from start to finish. And if a child were in the car, I would have the windows open part way for ventilation. And yes, I always lock my car doors when I pump gas.
Of course the windows should be open, more than an inch or two, for ventilation for anyone left inside. I lock my car if I have to go into the gas station for some reason. But if I am standing right next to it to pump gas, I don't see any point in locking it if I have the keys.

@Puppy Lips

So no one could open the other door and snatch your purse while you're on the other side of the car or snatch your child who's in the back seat?

It can happen in the blink of an eye.....it's happened many times.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Love my grandkids — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:46:08 GMT

@millieshops You are right! I meant to say what PLANET are they on? In my 73 years I've NEVER seen a woman pumping gas and holding a child.

It's obvious a man came up with this advertising stupidity.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Lali1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:56:01 GMT

I haven't seen it and probably wouldn't have noticed. The commercial that makes me really scratch my head is the one with the masked robber guy. I guess it's a commercial for an alarm company but I find it a bit offensive. He has a family a home and he steals from people for a living.

Re: Exceptionally Stupid AAA Advertising

Caffeina — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 21:24:57 GMT

Here's the picture. I blurred the woman's face.