If you watch as much TV sports as I do, and care as much about popular culture, there comes a day when you wake up and say to yourself, Why am I in love with that Geico gecko?
I called the Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., to find out who he is.
Dean Jarrett, the company spokesman, said the gecko icon has been around for eight or nine years. It originated as a cute way to get people to recognize the name Geico—the gecko was holding a press conference to tell people to stop calling him when they wanted car insurance. And at that time the agency gave it an English accent.
The gecko continued to appear in Geico ads doing cameos and interacting with people till last year when the lizard was named top ad icon along with Juan Valdez, as part of Advertising Week in New York, and the insurance company and its ad agency decided that if people liked the gecko so much they would give them all gecko. They’d do a series of ads containing only the gecko, and a “more evolved” and approachable gecko, Jarrett says—the nine ads that began appearing last winter and so enthralled me.
“We created a character from the ground up,” says Joe Lawson, 37, the ad writer. It was the ad agency’s idea that the gecko should lose its aristocratic English accent and get an East London cockney accent, become an everyman. “A young Michael Caine, that was almost the casting spec.” Lawson went to London last year to find the perfect voice. That and the animation took three and a half months all told, “a ridiculous amount of time to make a commercial,” he adds. The animator was the same one, Frameworks, that did the Harry Potter movies.
The sophistication comes through every pore (Fact checker: Do lizards have pores?). The makers sought a very natural icon, a “total normal human being trapped in the body of a gecko—adding something new to the genre of icon,” Lawson says. No Pillsbury doughboy, no caricature, nothing “hopped up on pills, needing Ritalin.” The character was to be “relaxed, self-assured, not obnoxious, not selling you.” The actor’s voice would slur words, even stammer, the way a real person stops and starts. And the animator used as its model Lawson himself, a lowkey guy with a certain delicacy who by then had begun to inhabit the character. His gecko now and then flicks something off his body with a finger or jumps a little when he feels he’s slipping off his branch, but there’s no drama, and no airs.
The ads have gotten a ton of attention but Geico and Martin have refused to say who does the voice. Because it would break the spell. “It’s like Mickey Mouse, you don’t want to see a punk teenager unzipping the costume and stepping out,” Lawson says. “Geico likes him as a standalone character.”
That’s who I fell for. The gecko is my salt-of-the-earth buddy, he’s not in competition with me. He’s not a successful yuppie meritocrat like all those creepy people in the SUV ads. He is, and this may be the heart of it, downwardly mobile.
Yes! I love this little guy too. He's like a favorite pet, warm and comfy. when he comes on I stop and watch him, (tv for me is just back up noise) he's soooo charming. Some commercials I'll actually run over and switch channels i find them so annoying! Cheers.
Your blog is most worthwhile — & also delightful.
I'm looking forward to the Geico commercial where the two offended cavemen eat the lizard.
I LOVE him–everything he says and does–like the one about the pie and chips-or how's your mum–he is adorable. Wonder if they will make a toy of him–like the Taco Bell chihuahua.
Dry humorous, cool character…does he have a name?
Who is the voice behind the gecko?
It would be a great experience to actually know and interact with this character in form of a next door neighbor, somebody I can hang around with, at the beach…at an AA meeting, or at my favorite hang out: at my porch.
Cool, easy going…somebody you can never have an argument with.
My dad and I have this huge debate/bet going on as to who the voice is behind the gecko. My dad thinks it's Dominic Monaghan from the show Lost and also played in Lord of the Rings as Merry. I strongly disagree that it's not him. I would love for this bet to be settled, because I know I'm right. I know it's not him. Anyone want to help me settle this?
His name is Gary
As for who does his voice, I don't have a clue. I only know his name since I ahve a nephew who works upper level for GEICO
Does Geico have an English office? Is so, does Gary do the ads in the UK with and American accent?
I think the voice is Marc Warren who plays 'Danny Blue' in the TV show Hustle. I would place a few quid on it!
Love the gecko, but find it annoying when he blinks – geckos don't have eyelids (refer to the commercial with the live [I believe it's a leopard gecko in that one] where he licks his eye with his tongue) – that's how geckos clean their eyes, they can't blink!
I'll second the Marc Warren vote. I know others who have said the same thing.
The gecko slipping and momentarily losing balance and then correcting is the work of a genius.
We stop everything when the commercial comes on, like he says" you think your watching entertainment but really watching a commercial.
The animation is great as the voice is. Never take him off.
My guess as to who does the gecko's voice, Callum Blue. He played Jennifer Esposito's husband last season on the WB comedy "Related".
i actually have a pet leopard gecko. today when i saw a geico comercial with the gary the gecko talking to a leopard, that made my day. my favorite so far.
by the way, can i get a discount with geico auto for having a pet gecko? just curious.
note to Scott J.
some species of geckos can actually blink. but you are partly right, as most can not.
To me the gecko sounds like Ricky Gervais, of The Office.
I don't care who does the voice I love him. I am worse than a toddler -I drop what I am doing to watch him. What I wonder is are ther gecko's in East London? The cockney accent makes him more appealing than ever. A cool East End name for him please.
Does anyone know where I can get a large picture of the fabric of the chair he is sitting on for his interview? I love it so much, I'm doing a wall of my house in that pattern.
Love the Gecko but can't understand some of his words. Is there a web site that has the scripts for the commercials or can someone tell me what he says when he is talking to he other gecko that licks his eyeballs.
"… lose the ?????"
The Gecko is the best commercial i have ever seen. It is the most entertaining, and creative commercial ever. I feel if you wanna sell something get the gecko because i would buy anything that it's advertising.
I stop what ever I'm doing to check out those commercials. My DVR now has 4 of the commercials (I have the cavemen too, which is also genius). My wife laughed when I snapped a picture of the tv screen to save the gecko as my wallpaper on my telephone. For some reason, his little quirks and his accent are awesome.
You asking if I like those commercials is like asking if I like free pie and chips… AHAHA
I agree with Evie2005, the voice of the gecko is definately Callum Blue.
It’s been a while coming, but the news is now out that the new voice of Geico Gecko, in a hybrid Cockney London style, is Jake Wood, English comedian and actor.
http://www.duncans.tv/2006/geico-gecko-voiced-by-jake-wood
And what's up with his replacements? Little Richard, Charo and Burt Bacharach??
What in the name of good common sense were they thinking?
This little guy CANNOT be replaced by ANYBODY, much less these over-the-hill has beens.
I am nuts about this talking lizzard. I love the way he catches his balance while leaning against the tree limb–and so many other gestures which make him seem human. Cheers to the Genius who 'found' him.
I LOVE HIM. I REALLY LIKE THE ONE WHERE HE SAYS, "OF COURSE I'LL WATCH THE KIDS; YOU'RE LIKE A BROTHER TO ME!"
JUDY
7-25-06
I love, love, love this little green guy. I am patiently waiting for a full length movie. He is my idol!
Please, please, please keep the Geico gecko forever!!!! I can't get enough of him. No matter what I'm doing, when I hear the first word out of his mouth, I run to the TV. The subtle nuances of his expressions and the MARVELOUS inflections the voiceover does make my whole being smile. Keep up the good work, Geico, and keep that gecko coming.
I still vote for Marc Warren. His Wikipedia entry mentions it on the last line.
I was SURE the voice was the voice of the guy on Globetrekker, the PBS show.
The fact that wikipedia mentioned him does not make it a fact. It could be a fan who, like me, believes it is Marc who added that line. I would need to see a more definitive source than wikipedia before I accepted the Marc Warren rumor.
The Gecko is my favorite commercial. I don't care how many times he's on. My favorite (play a little guitar). He is just so real. P.S. When the other Geico commercials come on, I change channels for the moment. The one with Burt Bachrach is certainly the worst.
You say the voice for the Gecko is Jake Wood, but to me he sounds EXACTLY like Ed Sanders, originally from London, but now appears on Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
Could you PLEASE put the Gecko commercials on the internet!? I LOVE them and him. I just want to watch him over and over! I make everyone who is watching TV to just stop talking every time "My Geico Gecko" is on. I have already found toys of him on the internet! I LOVE HIM! What a great idea!! He makes me stop EVERYTHING I do when this charmer is on!
I like the gecko because he has gravitas. I'd trust him with the news before I'd trust Katie. He obviously has good life values. And he's sexy.
I am getting really frustrated with Geico! Where is my gecko!!! I bought our insurance from Geico because I trusted the little guy, Now, I have to watch all those $&%@#! like Little Richard and Charo. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? #1: Those are the kind of commercials that make me switch channels. #2: Your advertising agency trying to switch what works is stupid! #3: I would consider switching to another insurance company if you don't get back to my gecko FULLTIME.
The first 3 times I heard the cockney accent, I disliked the ads. The next time I really WATCHED the ad (the balance adjustment one). The lifelike view – what fantastic animation! I was hooked.
Geico execs: Don't drop or "ration" what works so well. Please stop those hidious, idiotic "famous actor" ads! Use Gary!!! If a non-actor, regular guy needs interpretation, have the gecko do it!
[Note: I am a baby boomer very familiar with Little Richard's and Burt Bacharach's music and I HATE those commercials. I've asked others, and the nostalgia factor you counted on is backfiring. There's not a bit of humor in them, either.]
Taco Bell shot themselves in the foot when they dropped the Chihuahua. Do not make the same mistake with the gecko. (By the way, your use of the dog in the auditions ad was genius. Do not give a similar opportunity to another company.)
Follow AFLAC's example and start marketing/licensing pictures, recordings, an Internet site, and "lifelike" figures of the gecko. There is a lode of gold you have not begun to mine yet.
Please, as others have asked, put the existing ads online so we can soothe our addictions. And I can't wait to hold a real-feeling (microfiber? soft vinyl/rubber?) little Gary.
I have a friend who writes screenplays, and she is writing a spec script for a sitcom with Gary.
Come on, Geico execs, get with the program. Whatever your ad agency says, this is one campaign that will not grow stale. Gary has the potential to rival Mickey Mouse!
Love the Gecko/Geico commercials. Where to go–the gecko gets a girlfriend–eventually gets married—then has children all the time explaining the need for insurance.
I adore the Geico/Gecko Everything stops when he comes on. Why oh why are they pushing those stupid Charo, Burt Bacharat and little Richard ads. They are annoying? Pleeeeeese Geico keep on with the Gecko I could watch him 24 hours a day. Like others I would love to have a soft vinyl reproduction to hold, I found a hard plastic one on ebay but it is a poor likness.
I love Geckos'. I live in Florida and keep little birdhouses in my garden for the Geckos'. They love to live in them. I would very much enjoy it if Gary would like a winter home here. I'm keeping a special place
in my garden just for him.
"Gary for President!"
I think he's voiced by Christian Bale (The Prestige) Their voices sound oddly alike. I watched the movie this weekend and kept thinking he sounds like the geico lizard!
Carlie
I've been loving this little guy since forever. My husband would tease me about it, saying I was a wierdo. I cant beleive I found this website!!!! Ha! I guess I'm not wierd after all! I LOVE GARY!!! They need to make a movie or longer commercials! And whats up with the mini me guy!!!????I mean I dont want to be a negative person and bash on anyone but hellooooo!! Theres noone like gary the gecko!!
To Geico Insurance Co.- I really like the concept of your little 'Geico'… and that was a 'Pay-Dirt' idea- for whoever came up with it…. But, rather dissappointed with your current ad, having our little 'slimey friend' spouting profanity….I'm not a prude- by any means- but knowing how children love this cute little creature- I don't think it's a good idea having him say "What the Hell "……I think this is out of line, and totally unnecessary..it sort of tells the public that Children' are not among your concerns, when considering your advertising content…. You have to ask yourself- "Will this added "What the Hell"….endear us further with our viewers ? "…I believe the answer would be 'No'… .but, could , possibly, chase a few away- which is something I'm sure you DON'T want….I would hate to see the little Geico…. take the same path as, our once famous, Joe Camel'……. Sincerely yours, Betty L. Johnson
I agree with Betty. I wasn't sure the first time I heard the gecko say "What the hell?" that he'd actually said it. Now I'm sure and I think it spoils his image. Why in the world would you have such a nice guy go the way of the punks of the world?
I love the lizard, I hate your cavemen ad. Please keep the lizard around for a long 100 more years.
I agree i hate the caveman and love,love,love the lizard.i would like to find wallpaper with the lizard on it if anyone knows if there is one please let me know