Car Insurance Ad Mascots We Love: Geico Gecko

Back in the old days (aka "the late 1990s"), car insurance ads were a lot like car insurance itself: kind of predictable, a little formulaic, not most people's idea of fun. But then in 1999, everything changed with the introduction of the Geico Gecko®, an animated lizard with a cheeky English accent.

Suddenly, car insurance ads were funny and creative. The Geico Gecko gave rise to a new era of wisecracking car insurance spokespersons ("spokeslizards"?) that led to other great characters like Mayhem from Allstate and Dr. Rick from Progressive.

What is it about the Geico Gecko that's so endearing? After all, he's still appearing in Geico car insurance ads in 2024, nearly a quarter-century after his television debut.

Let's look at what the Geico Gecko can teach us about car insurance -- and why Geico could be a good choice to save money on your auto insurance bills.

Geico Gecko: Improving Geico's name recognition since 1999

Car insurance companies often struggle to stand out from the competition or create emotion-based connections with customers. After all, most people don't have warm, fuzzy feelings about insurance.

Insurance is a necessary part of life, and if you're lucky, you'll have a good experience with your insurer. The best insurance companies will give you a high level of trust and confidence that they'll help pay for your car crashes and other financial losses. But most people don't "identify" with insurance brands in the same way they do with fashion brands or sports teams.

Geico had a particular challenge in this area, because its company name was vague and hard to remember. In fact, the name "Geico" is an abbreviation for Government Employees Insurance Company ("GEICo"). The company decided to use a gecko as a new company mascot, because people were frequently mispronouncing the brand name as "gecko."

The Geico Gecko doesn't have a particular catchphrase. But in every ad, the spokeslizard delivers a simple message: saving money with Geico is easy. Geico's website says that customers can enjoy savings of 15% or more on car insurance, with average annual savings of over $500, and that it has a 97% customer satisfaction rate.

Why it can be easy to save with Geico

It's not often a good idea to take financial advice from talking lizards, but this talking lizard is actually making some valid points. The truth is: Geico ranks as one of our top picks for best cheap car insurance. The Ascent's research found that Geico's national average rate for all drivers was $2,106, about 30% less than the national average rate of $3,017.

The Ascent's review of Geico car insurance found that the company offers particularly good discounts to drivers who have clean driving records. If you have a recent accident in your driving history, Geico's premiums might be less affordable for you. Geico gets high marks as a low-cost car insurance option for people with poor credit, and also offers options to save money by bundling home and auto insurance.

Bottom line

The Geico Gecko changed the insurance industry by making TV ads on a serious topic that were funny and cute, with clever advice and wide, blinking, animated lizard eyes. The Gecko is on our list of best car insurance ad mascots because of his staying power (25 years and counting) and his charming English accent. And the Gecko is speaking the truth: Geico really is one of the best car insurance companies for discounts, especially if you have a clean driving record or are willing to bundle home and auto.