GEICO ad campaigns
Encyclopedia
GEICO
's advertising campaign
strategy incorporates a saturation
-level amount of print (primarily mail circulars) and television
parody advertisement
s, as well as radio advertisements. A common tagline used by GEICO is "fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance."
Warren Buffett
, owner of GEICO parent Berkshire Hathaway
, has stated that over 40% of Americans could save money with GEICO. He has indicated that he would spend $2 billion on GEICO ads if he could, far exceeding the $751 million in advertising in 2007, the last year where data were available.
, and feature a curious little man walking up to an object and end up getting hurt after being curious about the object (for example, he encounters a cannon, presses a button, and a ball fires and sticks to his face).
, The Gecko, an anthropomorphic Day Gecko
created by The Martin Agency
and most recently a CGI creature generated by Framestore CFC
. The gecko first appeared in 1999 during the Screen Actors Guild
strike
that prevented the use of live actors. The original commercial features the Gecko, voiced by comedian Kelsey Grammer
, pleading for people to stop calling him in error as he is a gecko not to be confused with GEICO. Later "wrong number" ads used Dave Kelly
as the voice of the gecko. In the subsequent commercials with Jake Wood
, (which portray him as a representative of the company), the gecko speaks with a Cockney
accent, because it would be unexpected, according to Martin Agency's Steve Bassett. In current commercials the gecko's accent is more working-class, perhaps in an effort to further "humanize" him. "As computer animation
got better and as we got to know the character better, we did a few things," says Steve Bassett, creative director at The Martin Agency. "We wanted to make him a little more guy-next-door. And he looks a lot more real than he's looked before."
, Mrs. Butterworth, Jed Clampett, and Bill Dutchess as well as real people such as Tony Little
, Little Richard
, Joan Rivers
, Peter Frampton
, Don LaFontaine
, and James Lipton
spoofing themselves. Other commercials relate to a hair loss doctor who has saved by switching to GEICO, a nature show about a fish, and a soap opera of a couple who are breaking up. Another set of GEICO ads involved a fictional reality show called "Tiny House" in which contestants were forced to live in a half-scale house.
An additional commercial theme is the promotion of fictional products. In 2006 parody ads featured such products as long distance phone service, tomato soda, fast-food, a reality TV show, dolls, and even poking fun at the Old Navy
commercials - in all cases, the parody portion of the ad ends with "but it won't save you any money on car insurance." After the GEICO slogan is heard, the commercials end with "Why haven't you called GEICO?"
The parody pitch crossed over to the Caveman campaign (see below) in a recent 10-second spot that appears to be a talking heads news interview, but features the popular caveman.
manager replacing a struggling pitcher with a reliever), but then offers helpfully, "I've got good news!", and then explains, "I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO!". That news, of course, is of no immediate use at all to the other character(s). Some of the ads were parodies and/or featured celebrities including, for example, Esteban
. The exchange became parodied for a time while the ads were popular. One of the most watched "I've got good news" spots was a soap opera
parody featuring television actor Sebastian Siegel.
in an extremely bland and understated way, parodying the stereotype of an insurance man, such as reading to some bored-looking kids, from a book of fairy tales about insurance. In one segment, he reads a supposed e-mail from a viewer saying it would be "da bomb", i.e. something good, if the Gecko would do a dance called "The Robot
". Cut to the Gecko doing that dance smoothly and gracefully (to the tune of a not-for-public-sale melody called "Sweet World" by a group called "Omega Men", which was used in the arcade video game In the Groove 2
) and then back to the insurance salesman attempting to do the same dance, seemingly more stiffly than an actual robot would. The newest commercial featuring the GEICO gecko depicts the Gecko receiving a business suit from the salesman, in order to present a more professional appearance, but he declines.
, Burt Bacharach
, Little Richard
, Don LaFontaine
, Peter Graves
, and Verne Troyer
.
Other ads have included James Lipton
, Michael Winslow
, Charlie Daniels
, R. Lee Ermey
, Peter Frampton
, Joan Rivers
, The Pips and Mrs. Butterworth's
talking syrup bottle.
In response to the ads, Seth Green
and Matthew Senreich
wrote a sketch using the character Jar Jar Binks
in a parody of one of the celebrity ads for their second Robot Chicken
Star Wars
special.
Fox's sketch comedy series Mad TV
also made a sketch parodying these advertisements using characatures of Elmo from Sesame Street
and comedian Carlos Mencia
.
-like cavemen
, no different from modern-day individuals (outside of the somewhat pre-historic facial features), encountering either an ad or commercial with the tagline "GEICO: so easy a caveman could do it," followed by their disgust with the supposed stereotype of caveman stupidity. The ads posit a world where cavemen are still alive and active members of society in the present day, behaving and living nothing at all like the stereotypical caveman. The main characters presented in the ads are affluent, educated, and cultured, eating at fancy restaurants, going to exclusive parties, and seeing their therapists (portrayed in the commercials by two-time Oscar-nominated actress Talia Shire
). The humor revolves around the relative normality of the cavemen's presence and their reactions to the stereotype represented in the ads, and their attempts at defending themselves from the stereotype.
The ads were so successful that the commercial actors are appearing in a successful series of interactive websites written and produced by GEICO's in-house creative team at Caveman's Crib and most recently, iHeartcavemen. A spin off TV series, titled Cavemen
and starring new actors, debuted on ABC
in October 2007 to overwhelmingly negative critical reaction. It was canceled after only six episodes were aired.
Nationwide Series is driven by Mike Wallace
and was sponsored by GEICO prior to 2009. Commercials involving the race team are of a memorably disdainful young boy, played by actor Eddie Heffernan claiming to be a relative of Mike Wallace and being a better driver. The boy says, "When people see Mike Wallace
and the GEICO number 7 doing well, they'll think of saving a bunch of money on car insurance. But when they see me, they'll say, 'There goes Lauren Wallace; the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car.'"
The commercials are sometimes presented in an interview fashion, where an unseen narrator speaks to the ambitious go-kart
driver. "What do you think of Mike Wallace?" the child is asked, to which he responds, "Whatever, he's out there selling car insurance, I'm out there to win." When questioned on his relation to the NASCAR
driver, Lauren shakes his head and concludes, "I didn't say I wouldn't go fishing
with the man, all I'm saying is if he comes near me, I'll put him in the wall." To which the narrator questions him, "You don't race in the Busch Series
." Lauren replies "Listen, go-kart
track, grocery store
, those remote controlled boats; when it comes to Mike Wallace
the story ends with me putting him in the wall."
New ads in this lineup include Lauren referring to himself as being, "100 miles away and ready to strike," and "lightning in a bottle."
The success of those ads resulted in the launch of an interactive website written and produced by GEICO's in-house creative team at GEICO Garage. The site includes cameo appearances by Lauren Wallace and drivers Mike Wallace, his daughter Chrissy Wallace, Speed TV's Tommy Kendall, Paul Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi and Max Papis.
style.
-type show about famed fictional characters such as Fred Flintstone
, Jed Clampett, and even a Cabbage Patch Kid
named Ben Winkler claiming to have their cars (the Flintmobile, Jed's 1923 Oldsmobile
truck, and a Plymouth Reliant
, respectively) insured by GEICO, featuring interviews with made-up investigators (however, the Ben Winkler spot does not have an interview). These commercials were voiced over by narrator David O'Brien.
on top. In some commercials, someone discovers this character sitting nearby, and in others it simply stares at the camera while a voice-over talks about how it wants you to save money. These ads includes a remix by Mysto & Pizzi of the 1980s song "Somebody's Watching Me
". During the Halloween 2009 season, GEICO tied in with HBO's True Blood
series on bus bench ads and dressed up Kash in fang dentures.
falling on a windshield and breaking it. The tree limb makes fun of the car right before a smaller limb falls on the hood.
The next one is a talking pothole
with a thick southern belle
accent causing a flat tire. The pothole somewhat apologizes then says she'll get her cell phone out and call a wrecker before realizing that she doesn't have one because she's a pothole.
walks into an empty room and queries the viewer, "Could switching to GEICO really save you 15 percent or more on car insurance?". After this, he pauses and then asks a rhetorical and/or obvious question which is immediately followed by a scene cut to the subject at hand.
Such questions have included (in no particular order):
, being read to the audience from an illustrated book entitled Short Stories and Tall Tales, turns into an ad for GEICO homeowner's insurance:
.
Television commercials
Radio commercials
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
's advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
strategy incorporates a saturation
Market saturation
In economics, "market saturation" is a term used to describe a situation in which a product has become diffused within a market; the actual level of saturation can depend on consumer purchasing power; as well as competition, prices, and technology....
-level amount of print (primarily mail circulars) and television
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
parody advertisement
Parody advertisement
A parody advertisement is a fictional advertisement for a non-existent product, either done within another advertisement for an actual product, or done simply as parody of advertisements—used either as a way of ridiculing or drawing negative attention towards a real advertisement or such an...
s, as well as radio advertisements. A common tagline used by GEICO is "fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance."
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Warren Edward Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world. Often introduced as "legendary investor, Warren Buffett", he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is...
, owner of GEICO parent Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
, has stated that over 40% of Americans could save money with GEICO. He has indicated that he would spend $2 billion on GEICO ads if he could, far exceeding the $751 million in advertising in 2007, the last year where data were available.
Animated advertisements
As part of the early GEICO Direct ads and the "Dumb Things" campaign, those 15 second long commercials were animated by Bill PlymptonBill Plympton
William "Bill" Calvin Plympton is an American animator, former cartoonist, director, screenwriter and producer best known for his 1987 Academy Award-nominated animated short Your Face. and his series of shorts Guard Dog, Guide Dog, Hot Dog and Horn Dog.- Biography :Bill Plympton was born in...
, and feature a curious little man walking up to an object and end up getting hurt after being curious about the object (for example, he encounters a cannon, presses a button, and a ball fires and sticks to his face).
Individual advertisements
GEICO has presented a number of memorable one shot ads. Amongst these are:- A duck (similar to the Aflac duck) says, "Am I on? (clears throat) GEICO could save you hundreds of money on car insurance. Result..." The duck then removes his bill, revealing a smaller one, whilst saying in a high-pitched voice, "...Smaller bill."
- A man, whose insurance company didn't offer a loaner car left his house whilst covered in magnetMagnetA magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
s and "bummed a ride" by attaching himself to a passing car. - A man's dog wears a fire proximity suitFire proximity suitA fire proximity suit is a suit designed to protect a firefighter from high temperatures, especially near fires of extreme temperature such as aircraft fires....
as he delivers a competing insurance company's bill because it is "too hot to handle". - As an example of other companies' poor customer service, a man in a dinerDinerA diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
tells a waitress he didn't order mayoMayonnaiseMayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
on his sandwich, at which point she scrapes it off onto the side of the table. - To showcase GEICO's 24-hour customer service, GEICO employees are shown wearing beer helmets with cups of coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
attached to them instead of beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, along with a comparison of a regular insurance company's small coffee mug and GEICO's big coffee mug. - A police unit tracks down an apparent earthquake, only to find the source is an obese man joyously jumping up and down over the money that GEICO saved him.
- A man hires a team of bloodhounds to find his Acme Insurance agent after hours, only to find a terrified janitor in the building.
- A man looks at his most recent auto insurance bill with his dog at his side; the dog, finding out his owner spent way too much money rolls on the floor laughing.
- A man places a long-distance collect phone call through an operator, using the code name Bob Wehaddababyitsaboy to avoid having the call's recipient billed for the call's charges. This commercial ran for a few weeks with the name joke and the pitch for GEICO, followed by a parting shot of the man on the telephone further exploiting his name trick, saying "Last name is Wehadababyitsaboyandweighs8pounds3ouncesandisdoingfine". The commercial was later re-edited to remove the ending joke and add "Don't cheat the telephone company, save money the legal way with GEICO" in its place.
- A squirrel causes a car to swerve and crash off screen and performs a series of fist bumps and high fiveHigh fiveThe high five is a celebratory hand gesture that occurs when two people simultaneously raise one hand, about head high, and push, slide or slap the flat of their palm and hand against the palm and flat hand of their partner...
s with another squirrel. - The camera pans up to a night sky to show a constellation of a car, whose "windshield" is hit by a shooting star.
- The gecko is part of spokesperson auditions and while on his way to the audition, he runs into the Taco Bell chihuahuaTaco Bell chihuahuaGidget "The Taco Bell chihuahua" Chipperton was a popular advertising figure and mascot, voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, and developed by TBWA and used by Taco Bell, a division of Louisville, Kentucky -based Yum! Brands. The Chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico, as are the tacos the...
saying "Oh great, a talking gecko." - While a ACME worker is seen working at her desk a man is seen going back and forth and then he falls in a trapdoor.
The GEICO Gecko
The company's ads sometimes focus on its reptilian mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
, The Gecko, an anthropomorphic Day Gecko
Phelsuma
The genus Phelsuma consists of several lizards in the gecko family, commonly referred to as Day Geckos.-Description:In contrast to most other gecko species, day geckos are active mainly during the day. Other diurnal geckos are members of the genus Lygodactylus and the genus Gonatodes...
created by The Martin Agency
The Martin Agency
The Martin Agency is an American advertising agency based in Richmond, Virginia that is now part of Interpublic Group of Companies.*Freecreditreport.com jingle since October 2007 starring Eric Violette.*"The money you could be saving with Geico"-Clients:...
and most recently a CGI creature generated by Framestore CFC
Framestore CFC
Framestore is a British Oscar-winning visual effects company based near Oxford Street in London. Formed in 1986, it acquired the Computer Film Company in 1997. The company works across several different areas of the media: feature films, commercials, music videos, feature animation and digital.The...
. The gecko first appeared in 1999 during the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
that prevented the use of live actors. The original commercial features the Gecko, voiced by comedian Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
, pleading for people to stop calling him in error as he is a gecko not to be confused with GEICO. Later "wrong number" ads used Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly (broadcaster)
David "Dave" Kelly is a British radio presenter and DJ from Northampton, England. He is currently employed by Bauer Radio for Key 103 and Radio City 96.7.-Career:...
as the voice of the gecko. In the subsequent commercials with Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
, (which portray him as a representative of the company), the gecko speaks with a Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent, because it would be unexpected, according to Martin Agency's Steve Bassett. In current commercials the gecko's accent is more working-class, perhaps in an effort to further "humanize" him. "As computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
got better and as we got to know the character better, we did a few things," says Steve Bassett, creative director at The Martin Agency. "We wanted to make him a little more guy-next-door. And he looks a lot more real than he's looked before."
Parodies
Another common theme is misdirection, in which the commercial appears to be about an unrelated product (or, in fact, may not even be a commercial), suddenly changing to become a plug for GEICO. The commercials use a variety of fictional characters such as Speed RacerSpeed Racer
Speed Racer is an English adaptation name of the Japanese manga and anime, which centered on automobile racing. Mach GoGoGo was originally serialized in print form in Shueisha's 1958 Shōnen Book, and was released in tankōbon book form by Sun Wide Comics, re-released in Japan by Fusosha...
, Mrs. Butterworth, Jed Clampett, and Bill Dutchess as well as real people such as Tony Little
Tony Little
Tony Little is an American television fitness personality and businessman, best known for his fitness infomercial products....
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, Don LaFontaine
Don LaFontaine
Donald Leroy "Don" LaFontaine was an American voiceover artist famous for recording more than 5,000 film trailers and hundreds of thousands of television advertisements, network promotions, and video game trailers. His nicknames included "Thunder Throat" and "The Voice of God"...
, and James Lipton
James Lipton
James Lipton is an American writer, poet, composer, actor and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He is the executive producer, writer and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994...
spoofing themselves. Other commercials relate to a hair loss doctor who has saved by switching to GEICO, a nature show about a fish, and a soap opera of a couple who are breaking up. Another set of GEICO ads involved a fictional reality show called "Tiny House" in which contestants were forced to live in a half-scale house.
An additional commercial theme is the promotion of fictional products. In 2006 parody ads featured such products as long distance phone service, tomato soda, fast-food, a reality TV show, dolls, and even poking fun at the Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
commercials - in all cases, the parody portion of the ad ends with "but it won't save you any money on car insurance." After the GEICO slogan is heard, the commercials end with "Why haven't you called GEICO?"
The parody pitch crossed over to the Caveman campaign (see below) in a recent 10-second spot that appears to be a talking heads news interview, but features the popular caveman.
"I've got good news"
In another ad campaign, a character would be breaking bad news to another (such as a baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
manager replacing a struggling pitcher with a reliever), but then offers helpfully, "I've got good news!", and then explains, "I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO!". That news, of course, is of no immediate use at all to the other character(s). Some of the ads were parodies and/or featured celebrities including, for example, Esteban
Esteban
Esteban is the stage name of guitarist Stephen Paul. Recognizable by his bolero hat and sunglasses, Esteban has gained commercial success by selling his CDs and guitars on QVC and HSN.-History:...
. The exchange became parodied for a time while the ads were popular. One of the most watched "I've got good news" spots was a soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
parody featuring television actor Sebastian Siegel.
Bland salesman
In another series of ads, a GEICO pitchman is played by actor Jerry LambertJerry Lambert (actor)
Jerry Lambert is an American stage, film, and television actor and voiceover artist, best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, Sons and Daughters, as well as commercials for companies including GEICO, Holiday Inn, and playing a fictional Sony executive named Kevin Butler.-Education:Lambert...
in an extremely bland and understated way, parodying the stereotype of an insurance man, such as reading to some bored-looking kids, from a book of fairy tales about insurance. In one segment, he reads a supposed e-mail from a viewer saying it would be "da bomb", i.e. something good, if the Gecko would do a dance called "The Robot
Robot (dance)
The robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
". Cut to the Gecko doing that dance smoothly and gracefully (to the tune of a not-for-public-sale melody called "Sweet World" by a group called "Omega Men", which was used in the arcade video game In the Groove 2
In the Groove 2
In the Groove 2 is the sequel to Roxor Games' 2004 arcade game In the Groove. It was released to arcades officially on June 18, 2005. It is available as an upgrade kit and as a dedicated cabinet developed by Andamiro...
) and then back to the insurance salesman attempting to do the same dance, seemingly more stiffly than an actual robot would. The newest commercial featuring the GEICO gecko depicts the Gecko receiving a business suit from the salesman, in order to present a more professional appearance, but he declines.
Blueprint commercials
GEICO also has several only blue-and-white ads, coined as "blueprint commercials", that focus on getting the point across that GEICO is "saving people money on more than just car insurance" (such as motorcycle, RV, boat, etc.), accompanied by the song "Gimme What I Want" by DCP Productions.Celebrities
There are also GEICO ads that feature stories from GEICO customers about situations in which the company assisted them, but are narrated by celebrities such as CharoCharo
María del Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Gutiérrez de los Perales Santa Ana Romanguera y de la Hinojosa Rasten , better known as Charo, is a Spanish-American actress, comedienne, and flamenco guitarist, best known for her flamboyant stage presence, her provocative outfits, and her trademark phrase...
, Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Don LaFontaine
Don LaFontaine
Donald Leroy "Don" LaFontaine was an American voiceover artist famous for recording more than 5,000 film trailers and hundreds of thousands of television advertisements, network promotions, and video game trailers. His nicknames included "Thunder Throat" and "The Voice of God"...
, Peter Graves
Peter Graves
Peter Graves may refer to:* Peter Graves , American actor* Peter Graves, 8th Baron Graves , English actor and peer* Peter Graves , English cricketer...
, and Verne Troyer
Verne Troyer
Verne J. Troyer is an American stand-up comedian, actor, stuntman and performer, best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series...
.
Other ads have included James Lipton
James Lipton
James Lipton is an American writer, poet, composer, actor and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He is the executive producer, writer and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994...
, Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
, Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Ermey
Ronald Lee Ermey is a retired United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor.Ermey has often played the roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in...
, Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, The Pips and Mrs. Butterworth's
Mrs. Butterworth's
Mrs. Butterworth's is a brand of pre-packaged syrups and pancake mixes owned by Pinnacle Foods. The syrups come in distinctive bottles shaped in the form of a matronly female, Mrs. Butterworth. The packages, originally glass, are now mostly plastic....
talking syrup bottle.
In response to the ads, Seth Green
Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
and Matthew Senreich
Matthew Senreich
Matthew Ian "Matt" Senreich is an American screenwriter, television producer and director, best known for his work with animated television series Robot Chicken, which he co-created with business partner Seth Green. Senreich and Green together run the production company Stoopid Monkey...
wrote a sketch using the character Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...
in a parody of one of the celebrity ads for their second Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
special.
Fox's sketch comedy series Mad TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
also made a sketch parodying these advertisements using characatures of Elmo from Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and comedian Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia , born Ned Arnel Mencia, is a Honduran-born American comedian, writer, and actor. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, criminal justice, and social class...
.
Cavemen
A popular series of well-received advertisements uses cavemen as pitchmen. Also developed by the Martin Agency, the ads center on NeanderthalNeanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
-like cavemen
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
, no different from modern-day individuals (outside of the somewhat pre-historic facial features), encountering either an ad or commercial with the tagline "GEICO: so easy a caveman could do it," followed by their disgust with the supposed stereotype of caveman stupidity. The ads posit a world where cavemen are still alive and active members of society in the present day, behaving and living nothing at all like the stereotypical caveman. The main characters presented in the ads are affluent, educated, and cultured, eating at fancy restaurants, going to exclusive parties, and seeing their therapists (portrayed in the commercials by two-time Oscar-nominated actress Talia Shire
Talia Shire
Talia Shire is an American actress most known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather films and Adrian Balboa in the Rocky series.-Personal life:...
). The humor revolves around the relative normality of the cavemen's presence and their reactions to the stereotype represented in the ads, and their attempts at defending themselves from the stereotype.
The ads were so successful that the commercial actors are appearing in a successful series of interactive websites written and produced by GEICO's in-house creative team at Caveman's Crib and most recently, iHeartcavemen. A spin off TV series, titled Cavemen
Cavemen (TV series)
Cavemen is an American comedy-drama show which ran on ABC from October 2, 2007 to November 13, 2007. The show was created by Joe Lawson and set in San Diego, California...
and starring new actors, debuted on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in October 2007 to overwhelmingly negative critical reaction. It was canceled after only six episodes were aired.
My Great Rides
In 2007, GEICO also launched a social networking site, My Great Rides, for motorcycle owners. My Great Rides is a place for cycle owners to share stories about trips they have taken on their bikes, as well as post pictures of their motorcycles, and comment on other members' stories and pictures.GEICO Racing
The number 7 car of the NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nationwide Series is driven by Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
and was sponsored by GEICO prior to 2009. Commercials involving the race team are of a memorably disdainful young boy, played by actor Eddie Heffernan claiming to be a relative of Mike Wallace and being a better driver. The boy says, "When people see Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
and the GEICO number 7 doing well, they'll think of saving a bunch of money on car insurance. But when they see me, they'll say, 'There goes Lauren Wallace; the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car.'"
The commercials are sometimes presented in an interview fashion, where an unseen narrator speaks to the ambitious go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
driver. "What do you think of Mike Wallace?" the child is asked, to which he responds, "Whatever, he's out there selling car insurance, I'm out there to win." When questioned on his relation to the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver, Lauren shakes his head and concludes, "I didn't say I wouldn't go fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
with the man, all I'm saying is if he comes near me, I'll put him in the wall." To which the narrator questions him, "You don't race in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
." Lauren replies "Listen, go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
track, grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
, those remote controlled boats; when it comes to Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
the story ends with me putting him in the wall."
New ads in this lineup include Lauren referring to himself as being, "100 miles away and ready to strike," and "lightning in a bottle."
The success of those ads resulted in the launch of an interactive website written and produced by GEICO's in-house creative team at GEICO Garage. The site includes cameo appearances by Lauren Wallace and drivers Mike Wallace, his daughter Chrissy Wallace, Speed TV's Tommy Kendall, Paul Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi and Max Papis.
15 Minutes Online
Reminiscent of the old "Stupid Things" commercials, these show videos of people doing stupid things, such as running in hallways with pillows, done YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
style.
TRS: The Real Scoop
Introduced in September, 2007, this series of ads features an E! True Hollywood StoryE! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
-type show about famed fictional characters such as Fred Flintstone
Fred Flintstone
Frederick Joseph “Fred” Flintstone, also known as Fred W. Flintstone or Frederick J. Flintstone, is the protagonist of the animated sitcom The Flintstones, which aired during prime-time on ABC during the original series' run from 1960-66. He is the husband of Wilma Flintstone and father of Pebbles...
, Jed Clampett, and even a Cabbage Patch Kid
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids is a line of dolls created by American art student Xavier Roberts in 1978. It was originally called "Little People". The original dolls were all cloth and sold at local craft shows, then later at Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia...
named Ben Winkler claiming to have their cars (the Flintmobile, Jed's 1923 Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
truck, and a Plymouth Reliant
Plymouth Reliant
The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called "K-cars" manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation, introduced for the 1981 model year. The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner, which was the short-lived successor automobile to the highly regarded Plymouth Valiant...
, respectively) insured by GEICO, featuring interviews with made-up investigators (however, the Ben Winkler spot does not have an interview). These commercials were voiced over by narrator David O'Brien.
The money you could be saving
In 2008, GEICO began airing a series of television ads featuring "the money you could be saving", in the form of two paper-banded stacks of U.S. bills with a pair of Googly eyesGoogly eyes
Googly eyes or wiggly eyes are small plastic craft supplies used to imitate eyeballs. Googly eyes traditionally are composed of a clear, hard-plastic shell, with a smaller, black plastic disk trapped within. The plastic shells come in a variety of sizes ranging from 3/16" to over 3" diameter...
on top. In some commercials, someone discovers this character sitting nearby, and in others it simply stares at the camera while a voice-over talks about how it wants you to save money. These ads includes a remix by Mysto & Pizzi of the 1980s song "Somebody's Watching Me
Somebody's Watching Me
"Somebody's Watching Me" is the debut single by R&B artist Rockwell, released on the Motown label in 1984. The song's lyrics relate the narrator's paranoid fear of being followed and watched. It featured former Motown artists Michael Jackson on the chorus and Jermaine Jackson on additional backing...
". During the Halloween 2009 season, GEICO tied in with HBO's True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
series on bus bench ads and dressed up Kash in fang dentures.
Talking inanimate objects
In 2009, GEICO began a series of commercials featuring talking inanimate objects doing damage to cars. So far, they have used a talking tree limbBranch
A branch or tree branch is a woody structural member connected to but not part of the central trunk of a tree...
falling on a windshield and breaking it. The tree limb makes fun of the car right before a smaller limb falls on the hood.
The next one is a talking pothole
Pothole
A pothole is a type of disruption in the surface of a roadway where a portion of the road material has broken away, leaving a hole.- Formation :...
with a thick southern belle
Southern belle
A southern belle is an archetype for a young woman of the American Old South's upper class....
accent causing a flat tire. The pothole somewhat apologizes then says she'll get her cell phone out and call a wrecker before realizing that she doesn't have one because she's a pothole.
Rhetorical Questions Campaign
Toward the end of 2009, GEICO introduced another advertising campaign in which actor Mike McGloneMike McGlone
Mike McGlone is an American actor, singer and songwriter.He is perhaps best known as the film noiresque spokesman for GEICO insurance posing rhetorical questions in the vein of Robert Stack or Rod Serling, which are then acted out in humorous fashion.McGlone's best-known film credits include two...
walks into an empty room and queries the viewer, "Could switching to GEICO really save you 15 percent or more on car insurance?". After this, he pauses and then asks a rhetorical and/or obvious question which is immediately followed by a scene cut to the subject at hand.
Such questions have included (in no particular order):
Television ads
- "Is Ed 'Too Tall' JonesEd Jones (American football)Ed Lee "Too Tall" Jones is a retired American football player in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of his 15 years with the Cowboys, he was officially credited with 57 quarterback sacks. Unofficially, his career sack total is 106...
too tall?" (Cuts to Jones in a doctor's office being measured for his height, though he is too tall for the maximum length of the measure.) - "Does Charlie DanielsCharlie DanielsCharles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
play a mean fiddle?" (Cuts to Daniels energetically playing a fiddle in a classy restaurant after taking it from a violinist. Once he finishes, he hands it back and states "That's how you do it, son".) - "Does Elmer FuddElmer FuddElmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
have trouble with the letter R?" (Cuts to Elmer hunting and saying he is "hunting wabbits", the director correcting his rhotacismRhotacismRhotacism refers to several phenomena related to the usage of the consonant r :*the excessive or idiosyncratic use of the r;...
to the former's frustration, and eventually leaving while muttering about how "this diwector is starting to wub me the wong way".) - "Did The WaltonsThe WaltonsThe Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
take way too long to say good night?" (Cuts to the Walton family saying "good night" to each other numerous times.) - "Does a ten pound bag of flour make a really big biscuit?" (Cuts to a child buttering an enormous biscuit on the kitchen counter as his mom walks in with a dismayed look upon her face.)
- "Did the caveman invent fireControl of fire by early humansThe control of fire by early humans was a turning point in the cultural aspect of human evolution that allowed humans to cook food and obtain warmth and protection...
?" (Cuts to the GEICO caveman sitting in a living room on a couch with a female companion. He looks disdainfully at the camera, then activates the fireplace by remote control before scowling at the camera once more.) - "Was Abe LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
honest?" (Cuts to an old-style black and white film of Mary Todd LincolnMary Todd LincolnMary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
asking "Does this dress make my backside look big?" After a lengthy pause and deliberation, Lincoln sheepishly responds, saying "perhaps a...", interrupted as she gets up and walks out perturbed.) - "Is having a snowball fight with pitching great Randy JohnsonRandy JohnsonRandall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
a bad idea?" (Cuts to Johnson helping a man to his feet, the latter with a hole in the arm of his jacket, in a snowy street. After lamenting the heavily damaged garage doorGarage doorA garage door is a large door on a garage that can either be opened manually or by a garage door opener. Garage doors are necessarily large to allow passage of automobiles and/or trucks.-Description:...
behind them, they agree to go sledding instead.) - "Is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush?" (Cuts to an Antiques Roadshow appraiser examining a small statue of a human hand holding a bird. He tells the statue's owner that it is, indeed, worth at least two in the bush.)
- "Can fútbol announcer Andrés Cantor make any sport exciting?" (Cuts to Cantor loudly and energetically calling a slow-paced chessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
match, yelling his trademark "¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!".) - "Does a former drill sergeantDrill instructorA drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
make a terrible therapistPsychotherapyPsychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
?" (Cuts to R. Lee ErmeyR. Lee ErmeyRonald Lee Ermey is a retired United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor.Ermey has often played the roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in...
talking to a man on a psychiatrist's couch, then abruptly yelling at him for crying and throwing a box of tissues at him.) - "Do woodchucks chuck woodHow much Wood Would a Woodchuck ChuckHow Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck is a 1976 documentary film by German director Werner Herzog, produced by Werner Herzog Filmproduktion. It is a 44 minute film documenting the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship held in New Holland, Pennsylvania...
?" (Cuts to a jovial pair of woodchucks throwing chopped logs into a pond and being admonished by the farmer who chopped them.) - "Did the little piggyThis Little Piggy"This Little Piggy" or "This little pig" is an English language nursery rhyme and fingerplay. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19297.-Lyrics:The most common modern version is:-Origins:...
cry 'wee wee wee' all the way home?" (Cuts to a piggy (named Maxwell) riding in back seat of an SUV holding pinwheels, yelling "wee wee wee" out the window, before being dropped off at his house by his friend's disgusted-looking mother.) - "Does it take two to tangoTakes two to tango (idiom)It takes two to tango is a common idiomatic expression which suggests something in which more than one person or other entity are paired in an inextricably-related and active manner, occasionally with negative connotations....
?" (Cuts to a man and woman dancing the tango, while another man tries to dance with them.) - "What, do you live under a rock?" (Cuts to a man living underground who moves a rock so he can raise his head above ground to see outside, and then gets excited when he sees a GEICO billboard and invites his friend Rick to move his own rock and take a peek.)
- "Does the buck stop hereBuck passingBuck passing or passing the buck is the act of attributing another person or group with responsibility for one's own actions. It is also used as a strategy in power politics when the actions of one country/nation are blamed on another, providing an opportunity for war.The latter expression is said...
?" (The camera zooms out as a deerDeerDeer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
walks onto the soundstage and stops next to McGlone, who then shrugs his shoulders.) - "Do dogs chase cats?" (Cuts to a dog and cat engaged in a BullittBullittBullitt is a 1968 American police procedural film starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Vaughn. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was adapted for the screen by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, based on the 1963 novel Mute Witness by Robert L....
-style car chase.) - "Is the pen mightier than the sword?The pen is mightier than the sword"The pen is mightier than the sword" is a metonymic adage coined by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy. The play was about Cardinal Richelieu, though in the author's words "license with dates and details.....
" (Cuts to a ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
menacingly demonstrating his swordsmanship to his opponent, who countermaneuvers by using a pen to sign for the delivery of his new taser, with which he promptly defeats the ninja.) - "Would Foghorn Leghorn make a really bad book narrator?" (Cuts to a recording studio where Foghorn is reading "A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature....
" -- his ad-libbing and talking over the director cause an exasperated Henery HawkHenery HawkHenery Hawk is a cartoon character from the American Looney Tunes series, who appeared in twelve cartoons. His first appearance was The Squawkin' Hawk, directed by Chuck Jones and produced by Leon Schlesinger. Henery's next appearance was Walky Talky Hawky which also featured Foghorn Leghorn and...
to get up from the control panel and whack him with a club.) - “Do people use smartphones to do dumb things?” (Cuts to three office workers using very silly smartphone apps to help celebrate the end of the workweek.)
Radio ads
- "Does helium make an opera room less stuffy?" (Cuts to male opera singer singing in a deep voice, then inhaling helium, and continuing in a high-pitched voice.)
- "Do mimes make even less sense when you can't see them?" (Cuts to a narrator describing a mimeMimeThe word mime is used to refer to a mime artist who uses a theatrical medium or performance art involving the acting out of a story through body motions without use of speech.Mime may also refer to:* Mime, an alternative word for lip sync...
pretending to be inside an invisible box.) - "Is sneaking out of a boring meeting while wearing tap shoes a bad idea?" (Cuts to a boring meeting with tap shoes in the background, until the boss catches on.)
- "Does a rolling stone gather no mossA rolling stone gathers no mossA rolling stone gathers no moss is an old proverb, credited to Publius Syrus, who in his Sententiae states, People who are always moving, with no roots in one place, avoid responsibilities and cares. As such, the proverb is often interpreted as referring to figurative nomads who avoid taking on...
?" (Cuts to the sound of a boulder rolling through various things until it crashes to a stop, with McGlone then saying, "No moss -- you're gonna have to trust me on this one.") - "Do only dogs hear dog whistleDog whistleA dog whistle is a type of whistle used in the training of dogs and cats. It was invented by Francis Galton. This is discussed quite briefly in his book Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development...
s?" (Cuts to the sound of someone breathing in, then blowing in a dog whistle a few times, before being interrupted by several barking dogs.) - "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise?" (Cuts to the sound of a tree falling and crashing, with McGlone then saying, "Yep.")
- "Is texting getting way out of hand?" (McGlone then begins to elaborate, but is interrupted and distracted by several incoming texts, ultimately responding to one message with "LOL, UR my BFF.")
Short Stories and Tall Tales
Starting in 2010, there have been TV commercials in which a nursery rhymeNursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
, being read to the audience from an illustrated book entitled Short Stories and Tall Tales, turns into an ad for GEICO homeowner's insurance:
- In one, the cow who jumped over the moonHey Diddle Diddle"Hey Diddle Diddle" is an English nursery rhyme...
crashes down through someone's roof; luckily, the owner was insured with GEICO. - In another, the Itsy Bitsy SpiderItsy Bitsy Spider"Itsy Bitsy Spider" is a popular nursery rhyme that describes the adventures of a spider as it ascends, descends and reascends the downspout or "waterspout" of a gutter system...
's home is flooded as a result of a clogged downspout, and his mattress is ruined; thanks to GEICO, he now has a "Sleep NumberSelect ComfortSelect Comfort is a U.S.-based manufacturer that manufactures the Sleep Number bed as well as foundations and bedding accessories. The company is based in Plymouth, Minnesota. In addition to its Minnesota headquarters, Select Comfort has manufacturing and distribution facilities in South Carolina...
" bed. His sleep number is 25. - A burglar breaks into Little Miss MuffetLittle Miss Muffet"Little Miss Muffet" is a nursery rhyme, one of the most commonly printed in the mid-twentieth century. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 20605.-Lyrics:-Alternative Lyrics:...
's house and steals her tuffets, which were fortunately insured. The burglar was later caught, given away by a whey stain.
Xtranormal
Near the end of 2010, a new advertising campaign began made up of amateurish computer animated advertisements, supposedly made in 15 minutes, created with the computer software program xtranormalXtranormal
Xtranormal is a website that hosts text-to-speech based computer animated videoclips, featuring animated three-dimensional characters speaking in monotone computer voices. Users who log into the site may create videos by scripting the dialog and choosing from a menu of camera angles and...
.
Easier Way to Save
Starting in the summer of 2011, a new series of advertising involved people discovering unusual ways to save money.Television commercials
- A couple teaching their 5 year old son how to dunk a basketball.
- A dog and a cockatoo playing a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
's Take On MeTake on Me"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
. - A sea captain living as a roommate, rehearsing Major-General's SongMajor-General's SongI Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General is a patter song from Gilbert and Sullivan's 1879 comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. It is perhaps the most famous song in Gilbert and Sullivan's operas. It is sung by Major-General Stanley at his first entrance, towards the end of Act I...
. - A woman turning her daughter's pet fish into her husband's meal.
- Robots hired in a daycare center.
- Three guinea pigs rowing their boat to produce electricity for their owner's computer.
Radio commercials
- A guy who tries to cut his wife's hair, while she sleeps, instead of going to the hairstylist.
- A liar who can only rely on toll-free numbers.
- A man consolidating his five daughters' weddings into one day.
- A woman carpooling with her daughter's school bus.
- An umpire who can't pay for his contacts, using the lost pair of eyeglasses he found.