I haven’t been able to locate the videos yet, but I saw two commercials on TV this week that caught my interest.

The first one was from Nationwide insurance that detailed how they have a new iPhone app to help people make claims. The other one was from Coldwell Banker realtors showing how they have a smartphone app.

I wonder how that makes people without an iPhone or a smartphone feel… Does this make the company look cool and relevant or does it alienate?

At least, with Coldwell Banker, it was an app for any smartphone. So, it’s simply a technology play. The app pretty much is only useful if you end up working with a Coldwell Banker realtor. Howevere, in an effort to be inclusive, Nationwide’s app is open to anyone. Anyone can use this app to record claims information and then go to their own insurance company. However, at the end of the day, the app is iPhone specific… How many people actually have an iPhone?

Call me safe or old-fashioned, I think a company should promote a message of full-service. We have a full team of people to help you process your claim, but if you have an iPhone, you could now download this new app too to help you. A commercial that shows nothing but an iPhone app almost seems more of a commercial for the iPhone than it is a commercial for an insurance company…

Photo credit: wired.com