Geico’s Lizard Offers a New Message of Reassurance

New York Times, February 19, 2009 — FOR years, prosaic consumer products sought to puff up their appeal by boasting they contained “secret” ingredients that improved their performance. Colgate toothpaste had Gardol, for instance, while Dial soap had AT-7 and Certs breath mints had Retsyn.

Now, confronting consumer anxiety over the economy, the giant insurer Geico is for the first time rolling out a secret ingredient of its own: Warren E. Buffett. The financier controls Berkshire Hathaway, the company that has owned Geico for more than a decade.

Why Advertising's Cavemen Are Going Totally Hollyrock†

Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2007 — Is finding a way for marketers to beat commercial-zapping DVRs and helping networks to cure the distressed state of TV comedy so simple that a caveman could do it? ABC's decision last week to greenlight a half-hour pilot program based on Geico's popular cavemen characters highlights the blurring line between advertising and entertainment, as well as the trouble the network has had in launching successful sitcoms.

Breakaway Brands 

FORTUNE, September 18, 2006 — Ten companies that boosted their fortunes by cutting down on hype and connecting with customers