Ok, not trying to be obvious here, and I realize the premise of this campaign is all about the Gecko, but man alive can they stop being so damn cute!
Just once I want to see the Gecko driving along, driving along, driving along in his tiny (or human sized, I’m open to options) car and WHAM! he gets hit and we find out he doesn’t have insurance. Then there’s that awkward, “do we call the 5.0” conversation. Jump it.
Maybe the Gecko tries to get the other driver to cut him a check and call it even, or the police are called and the Gecko drives off and a high-speed chase ensues ending in some huge explosion. I’d totally watch that.
Now, for some meat — this and other campaigns rely simply on the character that’s been developed. I heard somewhere that the Aflac duck idea was born when someone from the creative team walked by a pond and heard a quack that sounded strikingly similar to the word, “Aflac.” And today, they’ve driven the model into the floor, through the basement and into the ancient Native American burial ground below their agency.
And the NA ghosts are pissed to see the same motif drilled over and over again. So how does the juice keep getting squeezed and is it worth it? In Geico’s case, yes — but to me the little guy is on his way to Whipple-dom and he ain’t looking back. These latest bits seem to work, but for how long will we watch the episodic reptile dodge a crazy aged Steve Irwin?
OK fine, I’m done. Between the Gecko and the Cavemen, I have to admit that the work is awesome (sans the sitcom spin-off). But how long will it last?