Disney frog getting leg up from Geico gecko

The Martin Agency has cobbled together a cute Geico tie in with Disney's new movie The Princess and the Frog. In the spot, the frog prince Skypes the gecko to ask for advice about un-frogging himself and instead learns how he can save hundreds by switching to Geico. There doesn't seem to be anything to the tie-in beyond this one spot. And the only connection seems to be that the lizard and the frog are both small, talking, green things (OK, the frog's more of a sandy beige) with adorable accents. But who cares how they relate? Little greenish/beige spokescreatures are cute.

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Previously on AdFreak:
Geico's gecko is still seeking YouTube glory
Why Geico's gecko is now a cockney yob

Published on November 11, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Filed under Cullers, Geico, Insurance, Martin Agency, Movies

You don't know who Sun Life is? Damn you

What's in a name? Nothing all that compelling, judging from the first glimpse of The Martin Agency's new integrated campaign for Sun Life Financial. It follows two unfunny guys who try to raise the company's profile by convincing brands with "Sun" in their names to add "Life" after it. The "humor" is DOA in the kick-off spot above, in which K.C. & the Sunshine Band are encouraged to become K.C. & the Sun Life Band. Still, it's good to know K.C. survived the '70s, even if most of his hair didn't. These days, he looks more suited for an endorsement of Sunsweet Prunes, which would actually benefit from adding some "Life" to its moniker. I'm kidding, sort of. K.C.'s forever cool (if not forever young). The campaign will also feature riffs on the Sun Life State and Cirque du Sun Life. Whoa, who wouldn't wanna follow this campaign's Twitter feed?!

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on November 3, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Finance, Gianatasio, Martin Agency, Sun Life Financial

'Modern Warfare 2' getting mixed bag of ads

Speaking of immersive video-game experiences, this co-branded promo by The Martin Agency for Walmart and Modern Warfare 2 relies on great performances and a well-scripted war of words to carry the day—until the end, when things get a bit too immersive for one of the gamers. Though a bit clichéd, these characters seem real, and their exchange of put-downs captures their passion for the game more convincingly than an arsenal of CGI explosions would. It's a lot better—or at least, less homophobic—than another Modern Warfare 2 spot, which has just been pulled from YouTube. That one was a faux PSA for a group called Fight Against Grenade Spam, urging players not to indiscriminately lob missiles in online multiplayer games. The acronym F.A.G.S. didn't sit well with the Internet. Oh, it also starred Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels. Embarrassing all around.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on November 2, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Gianatasio, Martin Agency, Video games, Wal-Mart

Geico's gecko is still seeking YouTube glory

Geico's gecko breaks out the moves next to Judson Laipply in this remix of Laipply's incomprehensibly popular "Evolution of Dance" video (famous for being YouTube's most-watched clip ever, with 127 million views). The little green freak—the gecko, not Laipply—has crashed a number of these popular YouTube videos, though this is the first new one in several months. He did score more than 2.2 million views for his earlier appearance with the Numa Numa guy singing "Somebody's Watching Me." That made more sense, as the song is featured in Geico's Kash spots. In "Evolution," the gecko is more distracting than anything else. Still, his comedy stylings beat those of Saturday Night Live's newest recruit, Jenny Slate. The classy gecko, as always, works green, not blue.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

See also:
Is Geico missing the boat with the cavemen?
Geico's Kash rears his ugly head once again

Published on September 28, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Talking branches and fenders shill for Geico

Geico touts its 24-hour claims service, H.R. Pufnstuf-style, in these new spots from The Martin Agency, which feature tree limbs and fenders that wisecrack after cracking a windshield and the rear bumper of another car. The tagline, "Accidents are bad, but Geico's good," could probably apply to the commercials themselves, which succeed against all reasonable expectations by being unabashedly and self-consciously silly in the extreme. Another plus: Geico's googly-eyed wad of Kash is nowhere in sight.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Web campaign marks Apollo 11 anniversary

The first manned moon landing becomes a real-time interactive experience thanks to AOL, The Martin Agency and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, which have joined for a cyber-celebration of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11's historic flight. Blast-off is set for July 16 at 9:32 a.m. (the exact time of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins' departure in 1969), with videos, Tweets and archival audio recreating the mission. There's a Facebook widget for those who wish to embed a commemorative moon-launch countdown clock into their profiles. Despite the "futuristic" notion of exploring the universe, the space program has become an anachronism, making headlines only when shuttles explode or astronauts go nuts. (And just try to find Tang in your local supermarket!) It's good to reprise an era when visiting other worlds wasn't confined to CGI, and when taking giant leaps on the moon became a reality for a brave few with the right stuff, shared with all humankind via analog signals (R.I.P.) zipping through the sky.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under AOL, Gianatasio, Martin Agency

Geico's Kash pops up everywhere uninvited

Burger King is all proud about the creepiness of its commercials, but I think Geico's Kash spots are equally unsettling. In a new round of ads from The Martin Agency, the inanimate wad of money (which represents the savings people could be enjoying with Geico) really gets around. The googly-eyed pile of banknotes unexpectedly pops up at a late-night diner, a library and a gas station. The guy vacuuming his car with the big hose seems a tad too intrigued, perhaps fantasizing about a night spent sleeping atop a pile of money. Hey, it sure beats a nocturnal visit from the King.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on June 1, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Geico cavemen feeling the catharsis of rock

In a sure sign that civilized man has begun to devolve back to the hirsute, rock 'n' roll party animals from whence we sprang (that's some lede!), Geico's cavemen rock out with the band 3 Doors Down in commercials and a video for the song "Let Me Be Myself." That caveman really does capture the Fender Strat-fueled angst of the tune, which, let's face it, is all the cro-magnon has ever asked of the world in Geico's iconic ads from The Martin Agency. Are we 100 percent sure that's not Charlie Daniels in that clip above? There is a resemblance. Or maybe a long-lost Allman Brother. Or Jim Morrison? That's how he'd look if he were still alive. In fact, that's pretty much how he looked in '69. Jim was the Lizard King, though. He'd jam with the gecko.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on May 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Credit scores pee on the rug, hump your leg

The folks at The Martin Agency, who created the inanimate wad-of-bills Kash character for Geico, are now portraying credit scores as shaggy, growling canines in a new campaign for FreeCreditReport.com. Kash never blinks a googly-eye, but these credit scores are darn feisty. Only FreeCreditReport can housebreak these puppies! Though silly in the extreme, the approach fairly accurately captures how it feels to be dogged (ha!) by numbers that can be tricky to manage or even understand. Does this mean the client has retired its signature struggling-band spots? "No way," says vp of advertising Mark Hriciga. "You'll definitely see more of them. Think of it like they're in the studio working on their next album and the tour dates will be announced soon." It's good to see the wanna-be rockers finally getting some credit.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on April 23, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (3)
Filed under Finance, Freaky, FreeCreditReport.com, Gianatasio, Martin Agency

Geico's Kash rears his ugly head once again

Geico's much-maligned inanimate wad of bills, known as "Kash," returns in these two new spots by The Martin Agency. In the ad above, the banknotes briefly flutter in the breeze. That's pretty much the highlight of the action here. To his credit, though, the guy who plays the stereotype hick rancher really does seem inbred. The gecko is also back in some more palatable offerings. Maybe the lizard could eat or burn or tear "Kash" to shreds in a Japanese monster-movie style "Gecko vs. Kash" commercial. "Cavemen vs. Kash" would also be fine. Just as long as there's no Kash back.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on January 6, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (31)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Wal-Mart and Coke throw giant holiday party

Here's that co-branded Wal-Mart/Coca-Cola ad from The Martin Agency starring John Magaro as the host of a holiday party that everyone (and his mother, and his "surprisingly cool" stepmother) has crashed. He strolls around handing out Cokes from a Wal-Mart bag—no eggnog here, not even rum to mix with the Coke. The guest list also includes "my judo coach, my allergist, my MySpace friends and Twitter list." No room for the Facebook crowd, evidently. You can download the MP3 of the song, and even the sheet music, at this Web site. "When you stock up on joy, there's enough to go round," Magaro sings at the end, in a very Coke-y refrain. I saw this spot last night in an actual Wal-Mart, on a dozen-plus TVs, and it almost managed to cut through the atmosphere of loathing and desperation. What more could you ask of a Christmas commercial?

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on December 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Filed under Coca-Cola, Holidays, Martin Agency, Nudd, Wal-Mart

Geico's new mascot doesn't quite stack up

So, it's come to this. Forget about the caveman and the gecko. Geico has introduced a new commercial character that requires no budget for actors, makeup, animation or voice talent. "Kash" is just a stack of bills with eyeballs, designed to get down to the basics of how much customers can save on car insurance with Geico. In two new spots by The Martin Agency—one set in a corporate meeting room, the other in a restaurant—the wad of greenbacks shows little in the way of personality. It doesn't talk, walk or earn interest. It just sits there, inert, begging for viewers to find the concept cute or kitschy. It's not weird cool—it's weird weird. Actually, it's not even weird. It's just a misfire made worse by the use of an insufferable remake of the Rockwell/Michael Jackson song "Somebody's Watching Me." And now I've got that stupid tune stuck in my head! The caveman was like Shakespeare in comparison.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on December 8, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (18)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Insurance, Martin Agency

Maybe Hanes, not MJ, needs a new sidekick

Thanks to daytime TV, I get to see Sarah Chalke shake her ass about 12 times an hour to prove that Hanes won't ride up my crack. But it wasn't until this weekend that I witnessed Michael Jordan and Charlie Sheen's Hanes-inspired shenanigans (which, yes, have been airing for a while). Spots by The Martin Agency here. The premise seems to be that Michael Jordan is awesome and other people are totally into talking underwear with him. Michael is there all like, "You people are crazy." Shockingly, this has been going on longer than Jordan has been retired. Before Sheen (chosen by Hanes despite the nuclear press fallout after his divorce from Denise Richards), there was Cuba Gooding Jr., and before Cuba was Kevin Bacon, Matthew Perry, Jackie Chan and ... oh my God, Jordan has been endorsing Hanes since 1993. Which means I must have seen a Michael Jordan Hanes commercial before now. Thing is, I can't remember a single one. I remember Michael with Nike, Gatorade, Ball Park Franks and Wheaties. So either Hanes is doing a breathtaking job targeting men's shows, or his Airness has oversaturated himself by endorsing too many brands. All I'm saying is, maybe it's time they got their Hanes on someone else.

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Published on October 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3)
Filed under Cullers, Fashion, Hanes, Martin Agency

Geico's cavemen find more time for tennis

Like all actors from canceled sitcoms, Geico's cavemen have quietly retreated to commercials. One new spot shows our hirsute hero, who rather resembles Björn Borg circa 1980, playing a tennis match against all-time great Billie Jean King. Not since King trounced Bobby Riggs 35 years ago in the pop-culture watershed “Battle of the Sexes” has she faced an opponent with such intense sideburns. In another ad breaking this week, the prehistoric pitchman tries to relax on a beach with model Lauren Hastings—to no avail. Seven of the 13 episodes produced for ABC’s Cavemen series never aired. Unfortunately, both of these ads from The Martin Agency will probably air for some time. Hey, I’m a gecko fan—no apologies!

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on August 7, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Filed under Geico, Gianatasio, Martin Agency

Get the FreeCredit guy to walk the plank

Everyone loves The Martin Agency's jingle for FreeCreditReport.com, which has spawned numerous parodies. (Well, OK, not everyone loves it.) Assuming you haven’t heard it incessantly, check out the commercials “Pirates,” “Driving,” and “Dream Girl.” Unfortunately, not all of FreeCreditReport’s customers are loving the ads’ misleading nature. The New York Times reports that lyrics like “F-R-E-E that spells Free ... CreditReport.com, baby,” apparently give some people the idea that the service is ... free. The actual price is $14.95 a month, and canceling can evidently be difficult. The FTC has been on the case for a while, and FreeCreditReport has already paid the FTC some $950,000 in fines and had to offer refunds to certain consumers. But consumer advocacy groups want more—they want a crackdown on the ads (which, by the way, are SO much better than what they were airing before). Will they be pulled? Probably not. A second round has already been filmed, this time with the lead singer downgrading his car to a bike, attending a Hollywood party as a waiter, and, that old chestnut ... playing at a Renaissance fair.

—Posted by Rebecca Cullers

Published on August 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6)
Filed under Cullers, FreeCreditReport.com, Martin Agency

Mrs. Butterworth in full-speed selling mode

It was about a year ago that Merkley brought Mrs. Butterworth out of semi-retirement and back into commercials after a decade away. Now, she’s moving on to other brands, co-starring in this new Geico spot from The Martin Agency. She doesn’t much like the logo placement at the end, though.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on March 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (12)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency, Nudd

The gecko is down, but he’s not quite out

He doesn’t have his own sitcom in development, but Geico’s gecko does have a couple of new commercials out—see them here and here. He avoids directly addressing the fact that he is yesterday’s news, but he does admit to feeling a lot of pressure these days when shooting the ads. Meanwhile, in caveman news, Slate’s Seth Stevenson this week got around to wondering if the caveman sitcom has a chance of succeeding.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on March 23, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Quiz: Are you a caveman or a gecko?

Viva Rock Vegas, I’m caught up in caveman sitcom fever! Which got me thinking — people sometimes try to discern if they’re more like dogs or cats. So, in honor of ABC’s decision to develop the Geico ad concept into a show, the question should be: Are you a caveman or a gecko?
  Cavemen are: hirsute, hulking, surly, whiny, insecure, unevolved, extinct.
  Geckos are: green, slender, witty, cocky, Cockney, self-assured, cold-blooded.
  I’m neither hulking nor green (most days), and I’ve started recycling cans and bottles to avoid extinction. Still, truth be told, I do combine several attributes of both. OK, on to the next question: Are you a John Hodgman or a Justin Long? It’s so simple, a Dave-man can do it! (I couldn’t resist.)

—Posted by David Gianatasio

Published on March 7, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Anthropologists side with Geico’s cavemen

It’s been a good week for the Geico cavemen. First, they score a development deal for a sitcom on ABC. Now, they’ll be celebrating the news that actual real-world anthropologists in England have deemed the phrase “stone age” to be an offensive term that should not be used to describe living peoples. The BBC reports: “Survival, the campaign group that supports tribal people, says that ‘stone age’ is a term that has been used for many years to create an impression that such people are ‘backward.’ This is dangerous because it is often used to justify the persecution or forced ‘development’ of tribal peoples.” It’s implied, though not explicitly stated, that you shouldn’t say things like, “So easy, even someone from the stone age could do it.”

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on March 6, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Geico caveman proves terrible golfing buddy

Here’s footage from the caveman/Phil Simms golf outing that aired on CBS the day of the Super Bowl. Also unveiled by caveman überfan Make the Logo Bigger are the names of two more of the caveman actors: Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber, the stars of Son of Darkness: To Die for II (1991, uncredited) and The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000), respectively. A third caveman, John Lehr, can be seen in the TBS comedy 10 Items or Less.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on February 28, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Geico’s caveman shows off his cavepad

Make the Logo Bigger isn’t sick of Geico’s cavemen, and neither are we. In the next phase of the campaign, the main caveman has invited us into his very own Caveman’s Crib. As usual, he’s conflicted about this, and drops little insults here and there. He has a nice place, though—evidence that he’s doing OK, despite the world being against him.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on January 30, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Geico’s caveman is a handful for therapist

Fans of the Geico caveman series, here’s your latest piece of heaven. It shows a slumped-shouldered caveman kvetching to his therapist about all the abuse he’s taking in that awful world out there. Pretty funny punch line, too. Bill at Make the Logo Bigger unearthed this latest spot, and he’s quickly becoming your one-stop shop for Geico caveman news. Recently, he revealed the identity of one of the cavemen: It’s John Lehr, who’s appearing in a new TBS series beginning next Monday. Bill also wonders why the caveman doesn’t have a blog while the gecko, who is yesterday’s news, does.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on November 21, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Is Geico’s caveman replacing the gecko?

Bill Green of Make the Logo Bigger has dug up another Geico caveman spot. This one’s a spoof of a Fox News-style point/counterpoint interview, in which the host badgers the caveman, asking him whether the line “So easy, a caveman can do it” can be offensive if it’s true. The caveman, who says he’s “not 100 percent in love” with the guy’s “tone,” tries to defend himself, but then a second interviewee piles on. This follows the earlier airport spot. A weird Geico caveman trailer has also surfaced, which is pretty humorous as well. Bill wonders whether The Martin Agency shouldn’t make a movie starring the caveman. For now, the offended Neanderthal seems content to be edging the gecko aside as Geico’s go-to guy.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on October 24, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Geico still offending cavemen everywhere

Fans of Geico’s sensitive, sophisticated and easily offended caveman can rejoice—he’s back in this new TV spot. All that’s missing is a little mango salsa. Via Make the Logo Bigger.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on October 2, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency

Geico lets Don LaFontaine do his thing

The joke’s getting a bit old, but it’s still fun to see Don LaFontaine, “that announcer guy from the movies,” giving an unnecessary, ultra-dramatic voiceover in yet another ad, this time for Geico. Love his pose as he delivers the lines. Check out a 2005 Good Morning America profile on Don here.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on August 24, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Filed under Geico, Martin Agency