The Genius Behind The GEICO Gecko
The company only chose the Gecko because of a Screen Actors Guild strike
“Fifteen minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance.” — GEICO.
I have heard the catchy tagline hundreds, if not thousands of times, as have many Americans. Along with the Aflac Duck and Flo from Progressive, the GEICO Gecko is one of the most iconic and popular mascots in commercials.
According to human Roy and Joel Ohman at The Truth About Insurance, the GEICO Gecko is the most recognized insurance mascot and commonly associated with the company. A Lightspeed Research study found that the GEICO Gecko came first, followed by Flo, and then Allstate’s Mayhem.
In 2010, GEICO won the Digital Marketing Association Annual Marketer of the Year award, largely in part to its advertising campaign with the gecko. The reason why Gecko is so popular is simple: he’s funny, relatable, and has a catchy tagline. The gecko commonly forgets his lines, has to do multiple takes, and can’t stop laughing during the commercial — there’s simply nothing I’ve seen in advertisements that parallels the unique gecko with a British accent. And the catchy tagline would never have done so well had it not been associated with such an endearing mascot.
