When you turn on your T.V. today you will see one of two things… a show, or a commercial. Now, there are a million columns online (like Rick’s Rants) that will review every aspect of every show from Tila Tequila (which I cannot say I haven’t watched) to Law and Order (which I watch far too much of). What you don’t normally read about are the commercials, and with good reason. Commercials break up the flow of a show and are generally boring and irrelevant. Who cares if your HEMI can stop a million tons in a free fall and then stop on a dime so you don’t fall off a cliff? I certainly don’t, and if you do how did you hear about our blog? However, there are a few commercials that stand out above the rest. FreeCreditReport.com is a decent example. I love the new ad campaign they are running with the guitarist and bass player. You know the one I’m talking about, he’s dressed up as a pirate and sings about how poor his credit is and something about fish and a tourist. The point is, it’s catchy. I don’t even know what FreeCreditReport.com is but I damn sure know their commercial. Hell, I don’t even know what a credit report is but if I ever need one you can bet which site I’ll be visiting first.
Anyway, commercials are a necessary evil. The only way I see commercials going by the wayside is by jacking up the cost of cable so much that it would be able to offset the massive amounts of money that networks make from advertising. Sure you can buy episodes online or DVR them but there is still no way to watch live programming without commercials. For the time being and the near future, commercials are here to stay. So, while we’re stuck in this advertisement ruled world of ours, we might as well enjoy it.
Enter: Geico. God damnit how can one company make so many hilarious commercials about car insurance!? Its incredible! I actually get excited when I see a new Geico commercial come on the air. Not that I am in the market for a new car insurer, but the commercials are brilliant (aside from the Verne Troyer one, let’s pretend that never aired). From the Gecko to the Caveman and everything in between I legitimately enjoy watching Geico’s commercials.
What I have decided to do in honor of my favorite running commercial ad campaign is rank my five favorite Geico commercials, and no not all of them include a lizard or a Neanderthal. Click on the title to see the commercial and get ready to enjoy.
#5 The Airport Caveman
Just barely making the cut on my list is the airport caveman commercial. A caveman is walking along a moving walkway when he passes a sign with one of Geico’s slogans, “So easy, a caveman could do it!” The commercial ends with a quick double take and a fade out to the Geico website and phone number. This commercial makes the list for several reasons, not the least of which is the choice of music. This commercial would not stand a chance had it not been for the perfect musical accompaniment. Geico has come to a point where they no longer need to explain the caveman concept. Its pure gold, and as long as they are on the screen, I’ll be watching. By the way, the song is called Remind Me and is written by the band Royksopp. Check it out if you haven’t already, makes for some hilarious memories.
#4 Don LaFontaine
You’ve all seen this one whether you know his name is Don LaFontaine or not. It goes a little bit something like this, “In a world where both of our cars were totally underwater.” If you haven’t seen it, watch below and you will know exactly why it comes in at number four.
#3 Geico Caveman Apology
This Geico commercial is by far my favorite from the caveman series. It is the perfect example of how creative writers can fit some great dialogue into less than thirty seconds of television. The back and forth between the Geico salesman and the two cavemen is brilliant and the closing, “I’ll have the roast duck with the mango salsa” followed by, “and I don’t have much of an appetite, thank you” is perfect. There isn’t a thing that I would change about this commercial.
#2. Loren Wallace
The latest Geico campaign features NASCAR drive Mike Wallace and Loren Wallace, a child claiming to be a relative of Mike’s. Mike Wallace drives the number seven Geico car. The commercials are centered around Loren and he is in top form in this one. The dialogue in this one is really quite brilliant and provides laughs upon every viewing.
#1. Tiny House
All that I can say about this commercial is, “WOW”. It’s perfect. The dialogue in this 30 second piece is so subtle that you might miss it. Be sure to catch the running “Awesome” jokes throughout. The best part is, they don’t give it away until the last second. I know a lot of people managed to miss this one but it is by far the best commercial ever to grace that little box sitting in your living room.
And there you have it, my five favorite Geico commercials. I know the gecko did not make the list, and although I do love the little green guy, he simply isn’t the best that the Geico writers have to offer. Think I missed one? Disagree with my rankings? Let me know in the comments section.
-Dan
Dude, have you seen the cabbage patch kid one? By far the best one there is. You Tube that ish. Nice post buddy.
Interesting that you call out both the Geico and freecreditreport campaigns. Both of those came from same advertising agency (in Richmond, VA).
Thanks for your comment curious. I was not aware that both of these commercials came out of the same agency, but it is certainly an interested piece of information. If I were majoring in advertising I can certainly tell you which firm I would be applying to first.
i believe it is Loren, not Lauren.
I’d say definitely either Loren or Lorne (like lorne micheals).