Geico commercial -- what's the accent?

[Snooooopy]

In Geico’s latest string of commercials is a lizard with some kind of English accent. Is it Cockney?

[Patty_O_Furniture]

Sounds like the same old Aussie Gecko they’ve always used.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

I think it’s a contrived Australian accent myself.

[mhendo]

As an Australian, let me tell you that there’s no way on earth that’s an Aussie accent.

It’s an English accent, and i think the OP’s guess at Cockney is pretty close, although it’s not an especially broad Cockney accent. But it’s definitely from the south of England.

[jjimm]

Got a link?

[RealityChuck]

The current commercial definitely have a different voice than the original. It’s more of a lower-class British accent than the original. Not cockney, but something else.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Can you link to this commercial then? Maybe I’m thinking of the wrong one. I do seem to recall hearing a different voice for a Geico commercial a week or so ago, and maybe that is what you are talking about? (I often mute commercials.)

[Duckster]

GEICO’s gecko has become a phenom in the advertising world and we have the action figures to prove it. He’s a small, green fellow with an enormous following and lots of fans.

He got his break in showbiz just lately, debuting during the 1999-2000 television season. The idea for the gecko grew from a creative session at GEICO’s ad agency, the Martin Agency in Richmond, Virginia. Because the name “GEICO” was often mispronounced, “GEICO” became “gecko,” and a quick doodle of a gecko appeared. The agency knew how powerful animals are in the world of advertising and a full illustration followed.

The English voice that the gecko uses became another distinguishing factor. Even when the gecko becomes annoyed with people calling him at home on the phone by mistake when they’re trying to reach GEICO, he always maintains his decorum in a very proper English tone.

GEICO’s gecko has become so popular he now makes special appearances at community events around the country.

Source: http://www.geico.com/about/background/geicoWordSponsor.htm

[mhendo]

I can’t seem to find any online copies of the commercials where the Gecko talks. The recent ad i’m thinking about is one where he is standing on a leaf and giving advice to a real gecko about how to go about selling Geico insurance.

Anyway, here’s some more on the history of the voice:

Geico Gecko - Six-inch green computer-animated lizard seen on a series of successful Geico Car Insurance commercials at the beginning of the Millennium. In the earlier commercials, pesky phone callers were confusing the Gecko’s phone book listing with the Geico Car Insurance Company. Speaking in a British accent (Dave Kelly), the irritated Gecko voiced his discontent with the intrusive consumers looking for cheaper insurance. Actor Kelsey Grammer supplied the original voice for the Geico Gecko in the first ad.

[sunfish]

Seems to me too that there is a new voice for the Geico gecko that’s in the latest commercials, talking to the live geckos that are supposed to help him spread the word. The closest comparison I can think of offhand is the guys who do the Ricky Gervais Show podcast, especially Karl Pilkington (who I think is from Manchester).

[yabob]

Yes, the old “cultured Brit” accent refered to in Duckster’s source has been replaced in the latest series, and perhaps Geico hasn’t gotten around to updating their page.

A supervisor for the studio that did it claims it’s cockney:
http://www.framestore-cfc.com/newyork/geico/

Framestore NY Lead CG Animator/Effects Supervisor Dave Hulin commented, “Our role was similar to that of an acting coach. We used our CG experience to train the new Gecko guy to act cheekier and show a lot more ‘sales savvy.’ Ultimately we honed an East End geezer type performance, and his cockney accent and mannerisms make for tons of fresh comedic possibilities.”

[Hippy_Hollow]

I suppose it most closely approximates what Americans would think of as a Cockney accent. What, we’re supposed to believe that this lizard is a hard case wide boy, a la Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels?

They should have hired Harry Enfield, he does good accents…

[yabob]

@Hippy Hollow

I suppose it most closely approximates what Americans would think of as a Cockney accent. What, we’re supposed to believe that this lizard is a hard case wide boy, a la Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels?

They should have hired Harry Enfield, he does good accents…

I guess so - he now sounds like he’s auditioning for a remake of “Only Fools and Horses”.

[sinjin]

I thought the the most recent gecko sounded kind of like Michael Caine in ‘Dirty Rotten Scondrels’ when he was talking to Steve Martin playing the “slow” brother. But maybe it’s just me.

[Guinastasia]

I could have sworn that the very first couple of Geico commercials had the gecko speaking in an English accent, then all of a sudden, it was Aussie.

Either way, I love the little guy, he’s so cute.

[orangetruck]

The real question is the origin of the AFLAC duck’s commercial.

I suspect that this is one of those things where we thing all accents are australian, just like all americans have texas accents to those in Britain.

[DarrenS]

To me (a Cockney, born within the sound of Bow Bells and everything) it sounds like poorly-imitated Cockney.

[jjimm]

@sunfish

The closest comparison I can think of offhand is the guys who do the Ricky Gervais Show podcast, especially Karl Pilkington (who I think is from Manchester).

Manchester-born Karl has a completely different accent from Stephen (Bristol) and Ricky (Reading). There’s more similarity between the latter two, though Stephen’s West Country “burr” is very strong.

[sunfish]

@jjimm

Manchester-born Karl has a completely different accent from Stephen (Bristol) and Ricky (Reading). There’s more similarity between the latter two, though Stephen’s West Country “burr” is very strong.

Just listened again for a few minutes, and yes they do all have distinct accents. Karl is the one I should have zeroed in on from the get-go, and left the other two out of it. My bad.

[sunfish]

Just as an aside, what’s the accent of the woman who does the intro line for the podcast?