Are Geico's Commercials Getting A Bit Surreal?

Cafe Society
21

I like the one with the Chicago accent.

22

I just realized this one is for Progressive. D’oh! :slight_smile:

23

I actually saw the aftermath of a car-up-pole incident. The driver had apparently ran up the only pole around with a heavy enough support wire to hold up the car. The pole was on the west side and he was going north, so he had to have crossed over. Any other pole and he probably would have been killed.

24

This thread made me wonder which company has the most popular commercials, so I made a poll.

25

You know that one where the guy rear ends the older man and the guy says “tell me you have good insurance”? Is that younger guy Jay of Jay and Silent Bob? (Allstate).

Thanks

Q

26

I voted for Aflac, and my favorite of theirs is where the pigeon says “Pay the doctors, boyyyyy!”

Aflac - Pidgeon Commercial - YouTube “major medical”!

Q

28

I formerly worked in advertising, and specifically in auto insurance ads (though not for Geico).

They aren’t trying to get you to buy auto insurance directly with that ad (or, frankly, with most of their ads). They’re trying to get you to remember their brand name, in what they hope is a clever fashion, and trying to hammer home what their brand is about (Caveman ads = it’s easy to do, rhetorical question ads from last year = you save a lot of money, etc.). Thus, when you do decide to shop for auto insurance, you’ll think of Geico, and remember that getting a quote from them is easy, and you can save money.

Also: Geico is infamous for throwing a lot of different kinds of ads out there. Some work, and they keep getting run (or new ads in the same series get made), and the ones that don’t get axed.

29

KFC: “Maybe it’s just the cake talking, but let’s celebrate!” (approximate quote)

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I probably look too deeply into the phraseology/acting of some of these commercials, but I like to pick them apart.

This one is similar to the phrase we use to explain that too much booze is causing us to say something we ordinarily wouldn’t:

All three of the references the kid uses is reminiscent of how someone might speak or act if he’s under the influence. (in my opinion, of course)

  1. Mother is referred to by her first name (boldness influenced by booze)

  2. Mistakenly calling the Washington monument the Eiffel Tower (iffy, this one)

  3. Sleeping till 11:15 (something one might do if he’s overdone the drinking)

And of course, “the cake talking”

It’s subtle, but IMO, it’s there.

And I know: “Quasi again. Get with the times, dude” :), right?:slight_smile:

Q