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I work at an advertising agency. Last month, I was tasked with interviewing potential summer interns. In response to my (hardball) question about what campaigns they enjoyed, several candidates praised GEICO’s “So easy, a caveman can do it!” work.
Apparently it’s not just college kids who dig those commercials. From the Washington Post:
“ABC said Friday it had ordered a pilot for a comedy, tentatively titled Cavemen, that features the characters used in a series of ads by the insurance company. The potential series features the cavemen as they ’struggle with prejudice on a daily basis as they strive to live the lives of normal thirty-somethings in 2007 Atlanta.’”
So while we’re here, let me toss out Three Things I Didn’t Know About GEICO.
• According to the New York Post, the actors behind the Cavemen are Ben Weber, who played Skipper on Sex and the City and married Ellie Bartlet on The West Wing; Jeffrey Daniel Phillips; and John Lehr. Lehr’s website details the making of a Caveman ad.
• GEICO is an acronym, which stands for Government Employees Insurance Company. Founded in 1936, GEICO began insuring the general public in the 1970s.
• The GEICO Gecko was only scheduled to appear in one ad. But an actors’ strike prevented the company from filming spots with people, giving the Gecko a chance to build a following.
I can’t believe that they’re actually going to make a sitcom out of those commercials. I have to admit, I have always found them funny… namely because of the crazy frustration the caveman goes through trying to defend himself and his “people”, but a TV show? What is this world coming to? Innovative idea!
posted by Kate on 3-5-2007 at 3:15 pm
Two words: COP ROCK.
posted by Kate on 3-6-2007 at 1:13 pm
Yes, remember just before they went public, my husband at the time worked for the city. We were able to get a policy because of that.
But they weren’t very good then. Don’t know how they are now, hopefully much improved.
When I was involved in an accident, my fault, and filed a claim for property damage to be paid to the city (knocked down a street light-much better driver now) they said we never had a policy with them. But they sure took our money every month and we had the policy for a couple of years at that point.
Have you seen the flash game online with the Caveman having a party at his house that you are invited to attend? Funny, point and click, exploration of his apartment.
If you want it I still have the link stored in favorites I believe.
Am also wondering about the TV show, never know, stranger things have made it in sitcoms!
posted by ClasicRed on 3-8-2007 at 8:14 pm
With the same actors…and good writers….the Caveman show should be brilliant!
posted by Ann on 3-11-2007 at 9:20 am