SafeLite, SafeLite, SafeLite

A commercial (or series of commercials) sometimes gets in my head — and my brain begins to dissolve. Case in point: commercials for SafeLite AutoGlass. Sing it with me: “SafeLite repair, Safelite replace.”

What gets me is the ritual that closes each windshield-repair vignette. The customer reaches for her or his wallet, only to be waved off: insurance has it covered. The customer then looks into the eyes of the SafeLite technician, each customer with a different response to this unexpected bit of good news. Behold, as SafeLite technicians Ray, Erik, and Pascal, and three unidentified customers perform the ritual. You can click each image for a larger view.

If these hands could speak, they would say, to a finger, “Your money is no good here.” But note the variety of responses.

Here we see earnest, mildly surprised gratitude. “Huh. We don’t see enough of your generosity in today’s world. Thank you, Ray. I will pay it forward.”

This fellow is too cocky for his own good, or anyone else’s. The money he’s saved will probably go toward larger and better mirrors. I’d like to remind him though that he will still be stuck with a less than perfect windshield.

This guy’s the best. He can’t believe his good fortune. “Really?” he asks. Yes, really. Pascal would not lie to you. Pascal shares his name with a great philosopher. Your insurance, sir, is covering the repair, which costs about a quarter of what a new windshield would cost. Yes, really.

You can see all three commercials, over and over and over, at YouTube: Ray, Erik, and Pascal.