oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

Exactly, some of them are extremely good.

His ads are the most entertaining to me since his almost always involves accident footage.



But even then, after a week of 1,000 airings, they do cause some PIP swapping.

Lil4X

I really don't understand GEICO - they are running three separate "image" campaigns that have little to do with the produce. The lizard (OK, gecko), the caveman, and the more conventional ads with Dennis Haysbert. It's difficult to believe they represent the same company. The gecko and the caveman were funny at first, but have REALLY worn thin. They provide NO information about the company, and very little competitive reason to buy the product. Haysbert, on the other hand, is a very effective spokesman and his spots are about as good as insurance ads get.

Progressive has struck a good balance between the quirky-cute girl and solid product information. Meanwhile "The General" is a low-budget animation that while it is somewhat informative, is so poorly done as to be distracting from the message.

Selling an intangible is difficult, and at this point, only Progressive and 1/3 of Geico's spots are doing a good job. I don't particularly want to spend major bucks on a bad cartoon general, a lizard, or a caveman. They're not effective spokesmen, and they certainly not the image I'd want for my company.

IS-SV

I am so conditioned to ignore TV advertising and treat it with skepticism so I find it to be no bfd, but Geico ads certainly don't motivate me to do business with them.

I am waiting for the ad when the lizard gets squished by a large truck.

mmarshall

The "Gecko" lizard gets its letters, of course, as a spinoff of the GEICO abbreviation. And there is a real Gecko lizard in nature...it is not just an ad.

Totally agree. I've heard the garbled "General" theme tune many times now, and still can't quite grasp what the words actually are. It is shouted out (illegibly) with the gruffness of a Marine drill instructor.

The ads don't come right out and say this, but it appears (?) to be an insurance company for "problem" and high-risk drivers....those with DWIs, speeding tickets, poor credit, risky neighborhoods, etc.... That, of course, would mean high-risk rates.

Lil4X

I realize GEICO (once Government Employees' Insurance Company) is a near sound-alike for the gecko lizard, but a not-so-bright cartoon lizard with a British accent that often makes his human counterparts look like a pack of idiots, isn't helping the brand image. It is a long-held advertising maxim that you set an image, an ad theme, and you stick with it rather than confuse your brand with multiple unrelated campaigns. What are they thinking?

Then, muddying the water with the stale cavemen spots is doing even less. Of course they were once funny, but funny doesn't sell me insurance, and Ogg needs to pack up his lizard and go home. The earnest but ditzy Progressive girl is beginning to look like an intellectual giant.

I8ABMR

what annoys me the most is how far they have taken this entire caveman thing. Its been beaten to death revived and beaten to death again

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

Even more ridiculous is that some suit believed we would actually sit and watch them for 30 minutes at the time if they had their own sitcom.

MrG4Life

iTrader: (14)

Lol thank you

How about the other fella called "Just-in Case" from the Safe Auto ads.

LexFather

Grown man insurance!!

IS-SV

Should I have an interest in buying a reptile for a pet, I know exactly what company to check with.

speedflex

I have learned to tune these commercials out but I will say this, from a professional standpoint, that Geiko has too many different campaigns and messages going on simultaneously. They have the talking lizard ones, the caveman ones, the staring eye money bundle ones, and now they have one for sports vehicles. It's market inundation and I don't care anymore because I'm numb to it all.

Of all those mentioned i think the Allstate ones with Haysbert are easily the most credible. They are the only ones that sell service as well as price. The Geiko ones almost exclusively promote savings but say nothing about service.

And even though it's disability insurance we can also throw the ALFAK duck in there as well.

jwong77

Notice how the highest ranked insurance company here do not run the annoying ads?

Amica Mutual, I've never heard of them, but perhaps they spend more money on the customer service end of things instead of the advertising.

http://www.jdpower.com/Autos/ratings...ovider-ratings

mmarshall

Thanks, speedflex. I had forgotten about the big-wad-of-cash GEICO ads....though I shouldn't have. They are aired just as much as the lizard and the caveman.


Those talking-duck AFLAC ads had pretty much gone away for awhile; now they seem to be coming back in a somewhat different form.



A big question is WHY we are seeing such a barrage of insurance ads. Seems like either there is intense competition now for every insurance dollar spent, or these companies have made such profits that they can all afford to blow large amounts on TV/radio advertising.

chrisyano

Interesting point.

I had been irritated by the ads for a very long time, but really hadn't thought much about the sheer quantity that we've been getting hit with. I guess I fast-forward past almost all commercials too much to really notice and be bothered by it. When I'm watching something live, however, it is quite cumbersome to see the same stupid ads over and over and over again.

I'm no advertising expert, but something that makes an impression (be it good or bad) and is easily memorable seem to work because the bottom line is they want you to remember their Brand Name when you are looking for a product they sell. Anybody remember those Quizno dust bunny-things? I heard that although I thought it was stupid, younger viewers actually really liked those spots.

Also, with the slow demise of print ads as an effective advertising technique, I'm wondering if these "big-time" spot purchasers aren't just getting a really nice bulk deal on the airtime they're buying. That would explain the sheer quantity, I think. I know I get a much better deal for advertising more.

kitlz

Definitely true. I have NJM and they do not advertise. Instead they pay dividends to their customers. It's nice getting a check every December, equal to about 10-15% of my policy cost.

But NJM makes it difficult to get their insurance - more customers = more risk - and only writes policies in NJ and PA.