Geico Commercials: I Don't Get Them

Okay, here are some branding / marketing questions for you gurus out there.  This is part rant, part serious questioning from someone who wants to learn. 

I just don't get the Geico caveman commercials.  You know...the one where the cavemen are ordering food in a restaurant and now, the new one with the caveman in the airport looking at the poster that says "so easy even a caveman can do it." (or something to that effect) 

Obviously, I do not have a formal education in business or marketing, but as a reasonably savvy consumer and business owner, I just don't get the caveman thing!  Am I missing the message?  What IS the message? 

I sheepishly admit I enjoy trying to figure out the psychological games going on in most commercials, but this one leaves me empty and confused like a relationship gone bad.  Perhaps I am a caveman? 

Please enlighten me.  Dina?  Are you there? 

P.S. The Geico gecko now irritates me so much I change the channel the minute I hear his voice. 

P.P.S. I'm sticking with the "good hands" people, thank you. 

Comments

[Dina at Wordfeeder.com]

You rang, madame?

(I've never been "called to" from a blog post before... this is exciting!)

I think what they're saying is, any idiot can understand the policies and procedures at Geico.

Although I will say that they sort of distract the viewer by showing the caveman going about life, instead of actually being on the phone with a Geico representative, or opening his mail from Geico and smiling.

(Can you tell I'd like to rewrite the commercial?)

You probably "don't get it" because, like the rest of us, you're being bombarded with information at all times. Who has a free moment to ponder the trick meaning in a Geico commercial. I'm even worse than you... I didn't even remember that the Geico Caveman was in an airport until you just told me!

Someday, advertisers will learn that Simple is Better in this age of electronic overload.

"Bring back the jingle!"

Thanks for the opportunity for some advertising mind calisthenics this morning.

Dina at Wordfeeder.com

[Ann Zuccardy, Chief Simpleton]

Dina,

In the spirit of "simple is better" let me just say, "This commercial is stupid." :-)

You don't even want to get me going on the simple is better theme. When will advertisers and copywriters get it that true elegance doesn't need to be adornedor contrived because it's beautiful on its own?

May Harding, my creative writing professor at Southern CT State University once compared my writing to Ernest Hemingway's. At first I was insulted. Ever read The Old Man and the Sea? The sentences are short, simple, and you can finish the book in a couple hours. So I assumed that being compared to this was a bad thing and thought it meant that my ideas were somehow simple or childish. I now realize it was a great compliment.

Simple is better. People welcome AND remember friendly, simple, elegant copy.

Guess that's why you and I get along so well...

Anniezee

[Nikki]

I like the cavemen as well as the gecko. The commercials get your attention...that's the point of a commercial. So easy a caveman/"throw back" can do it. The cavemen are offended because they are being associated w/ one who has delayed or slowed thinking. I think they're kind of hot in a unrefined sort of way...that's why I love the commercials!!

[Loronda]

While I thought I understood (and enjoyed) the original premise of the Geico caveman commercials, they seem to have gone in a direction that has me so confused that I am resorting to online research to find out if I am the only one that seems to be missing something, especially now that there's going to be a show about them. Somebody please help me.

[Jen]

I don't understand the one where they are on the beach??