In early 2019, GEICO released a collection of their greatest advertising hits called “The Best of GEICO.” Beloved characters like the Caveman and Maxwell the Pig all made appearances in the lineup.
You’d think that’s where the nostalgia ends, but you’re wrong. In true Hollywood fashion, GEICO has released a “Sequels” ad campaign. The Martin Agency’s latest campaign wants fans to vote on their favorite GEICO sequel and enter for a chance to win a star-studded prize.
GEICO Sequel Nominees
Who’s nominated for a blockbuster sequel? Obvious icons like the Gecko and Hump Day Camel have been shut out. Instead, three classic heroes — Pinocchio, Woodchucks, and Raccoons — are up for nominations. In addition to showcasing each character’s original commercial, the heroes also receive two new commercials. These spots follow up where their initial spot last left off.
Need to jog your memory on the trio? Let’s review their existing and new spots to determine who you’ll get your vote.
Pinocchio
Pinocchio’s GEICO commercial debuted in 2014. Here, he was presented as a motivational speaker. Not a particularly good one either. Remember how his signature nose grows every time he tells a lie? The more Pinocchio declared his audience had untapped potential, the longer his nose grew. Yikes. The character was last seen standing awkwardly in front of a crowd with his very long nose.
Pinocchio’s Sequels: Date and Parking
Pinocchio’s two new sequels pick right back up from where we last saw the marionette.
In “Date,” Pinocchio is on his first date with a woman named Samantha. They met courtesy of an online dating app. Unfortunately, his online profile looks more like a real boy than his actual puppet self. He also goes by a different name: Pete Nocchio.
Pinocchio insists the images are actually professional headshots. His nose starts to grow. He also insists he lost weight, which causes his nose to grow even longer. Bad first date, Pinocchio (or Pete Nocchio).
“Parking” finds our favorite wooden boy in a no-parking zone with his car. A police officer is writing him a ticket and Pinocchio insists he didn’t know. About the parking zone or the sign on the street. His nose grows and not surprisingly, Pinocchio is issued a ticket. The guy just can’t catch a break! His commercials definitely need a few sympathy votes.
Woodchucks
“Could switching to GEICO save you 15% or more in car insurance? Do woodchucks chuck wood?” This 2010 commercial introduces us to the GEICO woodchucks.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Apparently, these mischievous woodchucks love to chuck a lot of wood. Especially since it belongs to a nearby farmer.
Woodchuck Sequels: Coffee and Lumber
The opening to “Coffee” plays out like something out of a Folgers ad. A young couple wakes up early and pours themselves a cup of coffee. They head out to the back patio to enjoy the cuppa with a view of the lake before them.
Suddenly, the hazy hue coloring fades out. Piles of wood are being tossed into the water by the wacky GEICO woodchucks. Maybe it’s time for the couple to retreat back indoors?
“Lumber” opens like a regional commercial spot for a local business called Lonnie’s Lumber. If you need lumber wood, Lonnie is here to meet your needs. They’ve got oak, cherry, plywood — hey wait a minute. The woodchucks are back and they’re tossing pieces of wood off the shelves. One thing’s for sure: they definitely don’t have Lonnie’s vote.
Raccoons
Debuting for GEICO in 2016, raccoons spent their original commercial doing what they do best: dumpster diving. One raccoon does his best to convince his buddies to try a certain type of leftover.
“It’s like mango, chutney, and burnt hair,” he says.
Not surprisingly, none of the other raccoons is sold on the terrible taste. All resume their trash bin pickings.
Raccoon Sequels: Food Truck and Heist
The raccoons get their own food truck in the aptly named “Food Truck.” Their truck, incidentally, is named “Chez Dumpster.” They assure interested customers that everything is locally harvested and farmed… from dumpster to table.
A skeptical pair of consumers decides they’ll do a lap before returning. The lead raccoon is bummed that their business isn’t taking off.
“My mouth is watering,” one raccoon cheerfully says.
“I think that’s just your rabies flaring up,” The other raccoon deadpans.
“Heist” showcases the increasing interest raccoons have in trucks, be it food trucks or garbage trucks. They hijack a garbage truck with the intention to dine like kings that evening.
However, the only issue is that they, well, can’t drive. Where’s the break?! The truck winds up spilling trash everywhere, which the raccoons go back for. They nearly left a cheesesteak behind!
Ready to Rock the Vote?
It’s pretty simple to pick your favorite sequel. Visit geico.com/sequels to cast your vote for your favorite sequel from Pinocchio, the Woodchucks, and the Raccoons. Voting ends on February 10, 2020. Best of luck to these characters during awards season!
