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last updated: October 19, 2022
Advertising mascots have been around since Gerber Baby, Ronald McDonald, Mr. Peanuts and Tony the Tiger.
GEICO insurance company is known for deploying the first animated mascot, the gecko. They gave him a charming British Cockney accent with a small car and life-size props.
Since then, other insurers have also adopted their own mascots and found a great way to humanize their brands.
Why do insurance companies have characters/mascots?
Today, GEICO geckos, Aflac Ducks, and Flos in white aprons are the incarnations of the insurance industry whose products are beyond the public’s comprehension. So, Insurance mascots and characters, not only adorable white ducks and brown emu, but also funny skits and spokespersons to make the products more understandable, bring brand recognition to consumers.
This post features 10 famous insurance characters along with some backstories and interesting facts.
What is the first insurance mascot?
Our little gecko companion was first
Perhaps the most popular and game-changer that moved insurance ads from Prudential’s stoic Rock of Gibraltar is the gecko. Gecko made his debut in 1999.
Martin Agency’s advertising gurus came up with a doubly brilliant idea: 1) bolster the brand name GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) and 2) rebrand the company name every time a cute cockney reptile appears in an ad. Promotes correct pronunciation. (The company is pronounced “geiko” rather than gecko.)
Geckos entered the world of computer animation at about the same time that Hollywood screenwriters were preparing to strike. The advertising agency knew that successful advertising campaigns involving animals in the past tended to create a connection between the product and its customers.
If it talks like a duck..
You may not know the name of gravel-voiced comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who died on April 12, 2022 at the age of 67. in a commercial featuring a jolly white duck.
Advertising executives at the Kaplan Thaler Group in New York City noticed that the insurance company’s name, Aflac (an acronym for American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus), resembles a quacking duck.
From its first TV commercial over 20 years ago to more than 75 commercials since then, Aflac’s adorable ducks have made the company instantly recognizable to 9 out of 10 consumers today.
Speaking of birds that can’t fly…
Lum Emu (and Doug)
Whoever came up with the idea of using a 6-foot-tall yellow-shirted emus with a retro 1970s human partner won the gold medal. The double whammy was the title of the bird, rhymed “lim emu”. Limu stands for “Liberty Mutual”. This is perhaps the best marriage of animals that has gained instant brand recognition since Energizer Her Bunny.
Then there’s the silly sidekick Doug, played by Doug Hoffman. He plays a straight man in some of television’s funniest commercials, inserting Liberty Mutual’s subliminal insurance coverage message.
…and an actor struggling with lines
With the Statue of Liberty in the background, another Liberty Mutual advertising campaign headline is the hilarious “Troubled Actor” Schtick, played by Canadian Tanner Novran. In a series of amusing outtakes, he struggles with a simple line: “Liberty Mutual customizes your car insurance so you only pay for what you need.”
With a deep, luscious voice that doesn’t quite match his youthful, casual look, the actor’s tongue-tied screw reminds him to pronounce the names of insurance companies, such as “Viverti Muchimasu…” I can’t forget
So while you’re laughing at your young, pretentious spokesperson, you’ll see the message, “Pay as much as you need.” By the end of the commercial, you’ll be repeating that slogan in your head.
Allstate Mayhem: A slapstick look at what could go wrong
Designed to reimagine current insurance coverage, the Allstate Mayhem campaign features canny, deadpan actor Dean Winters. Actors show up as physical examples and beaten victims when really bad things can happen that current insurance doesn’t always cover.
Winters plays an unsuspecting Christmas tree, a distracted driver wearing make-up (whose sidekick Tina Fey is the victim), and a feisty puppy in the backseat. Each ad includes a warning about “cheap” insurance and targets older, more responsible drivers and homeowners.
The Mayhem campaign has its own Facebook page with approximately 2 million followers. So it should work fine with Allstate.
Speaking of Mayhem, State Farm’s Jake needs to act fast
This 30-second gem begins with my husband talking on the phone in the middle of the night. does that matter? can you do that for me very? I want it “
Jake’s enraged wife comes down behind and asks, “Who are you talking to?”
“I’m Jake from State Farm.”
At 3am, my wife doesn’t buy it. She picks up the phone and the rest is comedy, driving her home the fact that it’s really Jake from State Farm and he’s on duty 24/7.
The man playing the state farm insurance agent was no struggling actor. He was played by Jake Stone, an actual state farm employee. Jake eventually became State Farm’s human mascot and played a prominent role on the website and on his Twitter profile.
Speaking of strong women, who doesn’t like Progressive’s Flo?
Actress/comedian Stephanie Courtney has played the Flow character on Progressive Insurance since 2014.
Flo is a white-aproned salesperson for Progress Insurance, appearing in over 100 ads featuring a variety of hilarious situations, skits, and quirky co-workers. Stephanie did double duty playing the spiteful sister and mother in her commercial her skit promoting a progressive insurance product.
…and then there’s Flo’s ridiculous male colleague, Jamie.
As Flo’s right-hand man, Jamie brings another level of humor to progressive commercials. He is the personification of the irony that “he is a legend in his own mind”.
Both Flo and Jamie earn millions of dollars in salaries and balances as Progressive mascots.
JK Simmons adds class to Farmers Insurance commercial
Most of us recognize the snappy farm jingle, “We are Far-mers…”, and JK Simmons, the famous actor spokesperson for the insurance company, is familiar too.
You may not know the name right away, but J.K. Simmons is one of the more established and prolific character actors that everyone has seen. He has been acting since his 1986, has appeared in over 200 film and television roles, and has won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.
Projecting the aura of the farmer’s brand experience, Simmons always ends his commercials with the insurance company’s trademark tagline.
NFL star turned insurance salesman
Nationwide’s Peyton Manning
Nationwide hired popular former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning for his honesty and lighthearted demeanor. Manning’s funny rendition of Nationwide’s jingle “Nationwide is on your side” replaced the lyric “Chicken parm, you’re so good”. The commercial successfully imposes Nationwide’s slogans and jingles.
USAA SPOTLIGHT Rob Gronkowski
USAA provides competitive life, home and auto insurance to active duty military, veterans and their families. NFL football tight end Rob Gronkowski never served in the military, but was hired as the USAA’s mascot.
In one of the USAA commercials, Gronkowski is on the phone with a very kind and helpful USAA agent, Stephanie. Gronk wants to “discount up to 30% off my car insurance,” but has to hide the fact that he has never served in the military.
“I can help,” says Stephanie. “What is your membership number?”
A panicked Gronkowski quickly looked at his soccer jersey and said, “87.”
No, Stephanie politely points out, “It must be between 5 and 12 digits.”
Arrested Gronk has to admit he is not a member. Agents point to the USAA being special because it only serves military personnel and their families.
“Oh, but I’m special!” grumbles Gronkowski.
The commercial ends with Stephanie’s classic smile and frown. Stephanie makes Gronk’s ridiculous comments stand on their own merits.
Shaquille O’Neal to play Big Brother in property insurance commercial
This property and casualty insurance commercial begins with a young man’s birthday wish.
To an upbeat background tune of “People let me tell you about my best friend,” Shaq appears and spends the rest of the commercial chasing young people with hijinks and boyish pranks.
Shaq then backs the General with a personal favour. Shaq said: And it turns out that property and casualty insurance companies have been saving people money over his nearly 60 years. ”
Shaq remains popular with advertising agencies creating general commercials. His current gig features game show contestant his mother Lucille his O’Neil, answering quiz questions before being asked. Shaq has a cameo in his standard casualty insurance plug-in, “Mom is always right, after all.” Both ads fade to a property insurance log and an animated army general mascot.
Conclusion
From 2-foot-tall Aflac ducks to 7-foot Shaqs, insurance companies have demanded, informed, and encouraged us to investigate their services. Who could have predicted that a complex product like insurance (actually a bet on yourself that something bad could happen) could be so interesting?
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The responses below are not provided, commissioned, reviewed, endorsed or endorsed by any financial institution or advertiser. It is not the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure that all posts and questions are answered.
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