# Flo, The Progressive Insurance Chick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856 "2009-04-12T16:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/21 "2009-04-13T12:13:09Z")
I’ve never liked her hair. It sort of has an Amy Winehouse thing going on that I find unattractive. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/22 "2009-04-13T12:14:45Z")
> [@Wheeljack](#): > > She seems like she’d be an absolute freak in the sack. > > Just sayin’. She seems to me to be the type that starts talking about whatever pops into her head at the wrong moment. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/23 "2009-04-13T13:39:34Z")
She’s purposefully quirky. No change necessary or desired. BTW, I know the director of those ads. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/24 "2009-04-13T14:17:04Z")
I’ve heard (from a guy in advertising, so presumably it’s something they keep tabs on) that Progressive’s volume has gone way up since those commercials started, so it seems that most people disagree with the OP. I recently saw her in an old ep of Angel I was watching on DVD, and she’s cute with more normal hair, but certainly less memorable. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/25 "2009-04-13T14:53:51Z")
I also know a Progressive exec, and he says the company’s been hard-pressed by Geico, with its cavemen and gekko. They’ve been losing market share and needed something distinctive to differentiate themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/26 "2009-04-13T15:26:22Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > First there’s her name. “Flo” is the mythical aunt associated with the menstrual cycle. What could be more female, more suggestive of woman’s sexual mystique and the cultural “curse of Eve”? Yes, Flo is woman eternal - woman writ large. Ja. Insurance ist essentially conservative. Presenting it mit ze tarty painted voman who is dressed up in ze white virginal outfit suggests zat underneath the dry exterior of ze quoted rate is ze vild zexual experience, vitch appeals directly to ze Id. Zat will be $500. Zenk you. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/27 "2009-04-13T15:29:37Z")
Do women shop in her white box? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/28 "2009-04-13T15:54:07Z")
> **[Stephanie Courtney | Actress](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0183960/)** > > Known for: The Heartbreak Kid, Melvin Goes to Dinner, Blades of Glory > **[Stephanie Courtney - Biography - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0183960/bio/)** > > Stephanie Courtney. Actress: The Heartbreak Kid. Stephanie Courtney is main company member of the famed Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles, regularly performing in their sketch and improv shows. She hails from Stony Point, New York. After graduating... Much better looking with less makeup. She’s done quite a bit of TV work. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/29 "2009-04-13T16:09:00Z")
> [@fifty-six](#): > > Do women shop in her white box? Hey yeah! Forgot to mention! :smack: Flo’s customers _are all male!_ Personally I hope they’ll conclude the series by getting her together with the “Yes! YES!” guy. The sexual tension between those two was palpable. _Flo:_ (low and saucy) There’s no discount for agreeing with me. _Guy:_ (adopting a Robert Mitchum tone) Sister, I wouldn’t care if there was a substantial penalty. _(grabs and kisses her roughly)_ ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/30 "2009-04-13T16:15:28Z")
She was on a show based on a Geico commercial and now whe’s shilling Progressive insurance? Can’t wait to be in her good hands, nudge nudge wink wink… ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/31 "2009-04-13T16:18:08Z")
According to IMDb, Stephanie Courtney was on the TV show, “Cavemen,” which was based on the Geico commercials. I find that amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/32 "2009-04-13T16:19:31Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Hey yeah! Forgot to mention! :smack: Flo’s customers _are all male!_ > > Personally I hope they’ll conclude the series by getting her together with the “Yes! YES!” guy. The sexual tension between those two was palpable. > > _Flo:_ (low and saucy) There’s no discount for agreeing with me. > _Guy:_ (adopting a Robert Mitchum tone) Sister, I wouldn’t care if there was a substantial penalty. _(grabs and kisses her roughly)_ Not true. At least early on there was a woman in the commercials. She said something like: _Wow, that would buy a new pair of shoes!_ And the progressive woman replied something like: _Or a big, tricked out, name tag._ ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/33 "2009-04-13T16:40:40Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > Not true. At least early on there was a woman in the commercials. She said something like: _Wow, that would buy a new pair of shoes!_ And the progressive woman replied something like: _Or a big, tricked out, name tag._ Indeed, and that was the very moment I fell in love with Flo. ::swoon:: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/34 "2009-04-13T16:46:09Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > She said something like: _Wow, that would buy a new pair of shoes!_ And the progressive woman replied something like: _Or a big, tricked out, name tag._ That’s when I fell in love with her too. Something about her delivery made me want to make her pauses, more, pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![acetylene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@acetylene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acetylene)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/35 "2009-04-13T17:02:26Z")
Holy cow, she’s my age! God bless her, she looks great. I used to think she was kind of homely, but after reading this thread and clicking on all the links, I think she is super cute. Her stand up was funny, too. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/36 "2009-04-13T17:58:54Z")
Who knew her name was Flo? She reminds me of Liza Minelli, especially when she says, “Happens to me all the time.” ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/37 "2009-04-13T18:00:07Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Who knew her name was Flo? Well, there’s the big tricked out nametag 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/38 "2009-04-13T18:01:49Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Of course, you’re judging by the one, the _only_, non-Flo picture of Stephanie Courtney ever made public. Which ain’t bad, but still, it’s _one_ picture. > > I would say Flo’s magnetism is multi-dimensional. In the Austin360 piece, Courtney herself suggests Flo is a highly “asexual” character. If that’s true, it’s true only on the surface. > > First there’s her name. “Flo” is the mythical aunt associated with the menstrual cycle. What could be more female, more suggestive of woman’s sexual mystique and the cultural “curse of Eve”? Yes, Flo is woman eternal - woman writ large. > > And not just in her name, but in her seductive makeup and crisp white uniform - which call up the pure-but-dirty dichotomy so central to many men’s desires - and her irrepressible, effervescent, very-possibly-flirtatious personality. She is business, true, but is she _all_ business? Textually, we’re left to wonder - but subtextually, we know otherwise. Flo’s promise goes far beyond bargain-priced coverage - she betokens the heterosexual female at her most sensual, free, and pleasure-loving. > > Indubitably. > > Insurance isn’t about sex appeal, and saving bucks isn’t either, but if that were the whole story, Progressive could have had some friendly male yuk in a polo shirt as a spokesperson. Instead they have Flo, who has inspired interest far beyond her rather dull product. I want to read your analysis of the GEICO gecko commercials. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/39 "2009-04-13T18:17:12Z")
I’ve noticed this too. Weird, because I think she looks like Maggie Gyllenhall, who I consider fairly un-attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856/40 "2009-04-13T18:30:41Z")
You know, when I see that her name is Flo, I just think of a woman’s “Aunt Flo” per the one episode of South Park. Thus, to me, she seems like an exceptionally cheerful menstrual period… the high-strung state she operates in is just on the edge of turning violently angry. It seems my opinion is, perhaps, not widely held… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flo-the-progressive-insurance-chick/492856.md?page=3)