Thursday, September 28, 2006

That Lovable Lizard

I certainly admire Warren Buffett, but I’m not so sure that he’d be a good judge on what’s a good creative concept.

And given that GEICO is part of his Berkshire Hathaway empire (current share about $95000), those clever GEICO ads won’t stay on the air very long unless they perform.

So I imagine they work – and work well…

I’ve always been impressed by GEICO’s advertising, not just because the ads are clever and creative, but because the company manages to keep several different campaigns running at the same time. Sometimes they pause, but many of the concepts seem to resurface.

This is somewhat rare because at most companies one campaign gets dumped in favor of another. Impatience and a focus on this quarter’s sales rather than a year out is probably why. And it doesn’t help when there seems to be a revolving door to the executive suites.

But GEICO and The Martin Agency of Richmond, Virgina have managed to keep several campaigns going at one time. Not just two or three, but six different concepts:

“The Gecko”

First, of course, there’s the GEICO Gecko. When he first emerged, I was bit skeptical. I understand that people might mispronounce the company name, but is a “gecko” a universally known animal? Well they are now. I imagine more geckos are now being kept as pets than ever before.

And while I realize there are plenty of animal lovers out there, I had my doubts that a lizard – or any reptile for that matter – was a good choice.

Well, of course I was wrong. The Martin Agency has managed to create a mascot that’s reptilian, yet lovable. He even makes guest appearances. And advances in computer animation over the past seven years have added helped to make him even more enchanting.

“Good news”

Is that real? No it couldn’t be. That’s the power of these spots. You might see a TV news reporter on the scene of a volcano erupting and swallowing a town. His final thoughts? “But I have good news! I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO!”

Another execution is a hair replacement doctor talking about his therapy. Professional wrestling, old Speed Racer footage, and many other ideas have extended this concept.

“But it won’t save you any money...”

This is similar to the “good news” spots, but with a different spin. For example, the “Tiny House” ad makes it seem as if we’re seeing a promo for yet another stupid reality show – one where a newlywed couple have to live in a house about five feet tall.

“The drama will be real,” the narrator tells us, “but it won’t save you any money on car insurance.”

“A caveman could do it”

Obviously, this campaign focuses on ease of switching. But the silly idea that cavemen are still around to cringe at the slogan has brought several entertaining executions of this concept.

I especially like the one where the cavemen are in a swanky restaurant and one of them orders “the roast duck with mango salsa.”

“In the time it takes”

These spots communicate through humorous perspectives on situations gone bad. A man who gives his wife a “you betcha” answer to a question on whether a dress makes her look fat ends with, “In the time it takes to pull out the sleeper sofa, you could save 15 percent or more on car insurance.”

And one where an employee mocks his boss on his iniative to “make accounts payable exciting again” ends with, “In the time it takes to clear out your desk...”

“Real People”

This is GEICOs latest campaign. Real people with real testimonials are shown, but presumably because they’re not actors, GEICO hired a celebroty to help tell the story.

The Martin Agency has a knack for finding washed-up celebrities ... people you’ve either never heard of or haven’t seen since maybe the 1970s. Little Richard, Burt Bacharach, and Charo all put their own unique spin on the real testimonial.

One great campaign is a job well done. Six great campaigns is an enviable record.

Note to Richard, Burt, and Charo: Sorry I called you “washed up,” but when you got that call from GEICO, you didn’t seriously think your careers were getting back on track, did you?

Posted by Richard Bloch

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