Geico Cavemen FAQ and Definitive Video Post
I first reviewed the restaurant Geico Cavemen ad here, and from the huge comment response I learned a lot of other people liked the ad as well.
Since then I’ve posted on other cavemen spots. With the amount of cavemen commercials out there I felt the need to start this definitive caveman article, which will feature all the current ads, and be updated with the reviews on the new ones when and if they show up.
Additionally, if one more person asks if a caveman is really Val Kilmer, or what the song playing in the airport is, I will go insane. So at the bottom of this article I will also maintain a “Geico Caveman FAQ”. So read the frequently-asked-questions before you ask a frequently asked question. For the love of god, read it first.
The Geico Caveman FAQ
Q: “Is one of the cavemen Val Kilmer???????”
A: No.
Q: “My cousin told me that caveman is Val Kilmer!! Is it?? It looks like him!”
A: No, it’s not.
Q: “I swear to god that is Val Kimer!”
A: It’s not.
Q: “Who are the Geico cavemen?”
A: One is Ben Weber, another is Jeffery Daniel Phillips. John Lehr is also a caveman, and recently was on TBS’s ‘Ten Items or Less’. Which actor is which caveman is a question I do not have the answer to right now.
Q: “Is the therapist Adrian from the Rocky movie? Talia Shire”
A: Actually, yes.
Q: “Please name all the extras and the cameraman and the best boy and key grip and anything else you can thin of!!”
A: No.
Q: “Who makes the cavemen ads for Geico?”
A: The Martin Agency. I don’t know if they do all the other Geico ads, but they do some of them at least. My best-guess is that they currently produce them all.
Q: “What is the airport song / where can I get it?”
A: The song is “Remind Me” by R�yksopp.
Q: “How can I make the song my ringtone?”
A: I am told Cingular sells it. Check your local ring-tone provider for more information.
Q: “Is a Geico caveman TV show in the works?”
A: According to this article, the Variety has alluded to ABC picking up a caveman TV show:
‘BC has plans to turn a series of quirky commercials for insurance provider Geico which revolve around a number of indignant cavemen into a half-hour comedy pilot, Variety reported. Taking its cue from the ads, Cavemen centers on three prehistoric men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal 30-somethings in modern Atlanta.
The pilot was written by Joe Lawson, the advertising copywriter who was behind the ads, as well as other comedic Geico spots. Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are executive-producing. Speck and Gordon, commercial directors who recently helmed the Will Farrell feature Blades of Glory, are on board to also direct.
The single-camera pilot is based on a series of Geico ads that promote the insurance company’s Web site as so user-friendly that even “a caveman could do it.” The spots follow cavemen as they react with offense to the derogatory slogan in modern locations such as a cable news program, an upscale restaurant, the airport and a therapist’s office.
Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber play the cavemen in the Geico spots; it is unknown whether they will also appear in the series.’
Here is the full article in Variety:
‘Winner for most unusual piece of development this pilot season goes to ABC, which has turned a series of quirky Geico commercials into an actual half-hour comedy project.
“Cavemen” will revolve around three pre-historic men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal thirtysomethings in modern Atlanta.
Project, from ABC TV Studio, is penned by Joe Lawson, an advertising copywriter who was behind the “Caveman” ads — as well as other Geico commercials (think the cockney-speaking Geico gecko, and the reality TV spoof “Tiny House”).
Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are exec producers. Speck and Gordon, commercial directors who recently helmed the Will Farrell feature “Blades of Glory,” are on board to also direct.
The single-camera laffer pilot is based on the Geico ads that promote the insurance company’s Web site as so user-friendly that even “a caveman could do it.” The spots follow cavemen in modern settings, reacting with offense to the derogatory slogan. In one, a Geico spokesman apologizes and takes the Neanderthals out to dinner.
Other blurbs include the sensitive, modern cavemen peeved at the offending slogan while encountering Geico ads in everyday life, including the airport.
The caveman commercials were created through the Richmond, Va.-based Martin Agency. Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber play the cavemen in the Geico spots; no word if they’ll make the transformation to the TV project.
Few TV shows have come out of the commercial sphere; more frequently, TV characters live on in 30-second spots long after their shows are canceled (think “ALF”).
But it’s not without precedence: The 2002 CBS comedy “Baby Bob” revolved around a talking baby character that was first seen in a series of dot.com ads. After the Eye canceled “Baby Bob,” the character returned to its commercial roots, spending time as a pitchman (pitchbaby?) for Quizno’s Subs.’ Thanks to DrLar for finding this.
Another article on the show in development.
Ask more questions here and (maybe) they will get answered. Feel free to post the answers to some of the lingering questions I have left here.
Comment // February 27th, 2007 // 8:09 pm
If you have a Motorola cell phone:
- Use the Motorola Phone Tools (MPT)that came with you phone or download it on Motorola.com
- Get a USB cable for your phone (your digital camera one may work!)
- Install MPT and update it (it will take several reboots)
- Connect your phone to your PC with USB cable
- IF MPT detects it successfuly, go to multimedia center
- A new window opens, now transfer the mp3 from your PC to the phone sounds folder
- Go to the menu/settings/ring style/ring detail/calls on your phone, select the song you just transfered.
- You are set! (hint, you may want to cut that mp3 so it doesn’t take much space on your phone).
Comment // February 28th, 2007 // 3:33 am
Thanks for all the vid caps and info.Normally I am annoyed by commercials,but these are just to funny.
Comment // March 1st, 2007 // 1:00 am
I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who loves the cavemen! They are more interesting then anything else on TV. I’m looking forward to some holdiay specials….
Comment // March 1st, 2007 // 9:35 pm
Maybe the cavemen could see a Signing Claymation Caveman Christmas Special and become even more annoyed.
Comment // March 5th, 2007 // 11:37 am
This morning, Mon. March 5 as I was riding into work our local radio station mentioned the Geico cavemen saying ABC is developing a sitcom featuring the cavemen. I have mixed feelings—I want to see them but I still think a regular show will kill them off!!
Comment // March 5th, 2007 // 11:22 pm
Well, my friends on another list sent me a link to the ABC cavemen pilot story. That will teach us to be careful what we wish for. Nothing kills a great idea faster than network executives. And if they don’t use the “original cavemen”—why even bother? As glad as I would be to see them in a more interactive ongoing situation, I”ve got a bad feeling about this.
Comment // March 8th, 2007 // 10:43 pm
I believe the caveman at the airport is on the phone with another caveman and not an ad executive. His tone is more “uncomfortable disbelief” than “insulted outrage”. This would also help the branching storyline continue branching.
Comment // March 11th, 2007 // 8:40 pm
Those cavemen are the absolute! I THINK I AM IN LOVE… ahhhh. I want their pictures..They are FANTASTIC!!!!!! Greatest ads ever, just keep them coming. How can I get their picture on a t-shirt?
Thanks,
Jo
Comment // March 13th, 2007 // 12:26 am
I have always thought the lines they use are “familiar” and wondered if they were supposed to be a spoof on old movies or tv shows. Recently I saw the “whats your name? it won’t say anything cause its a doll” commercial and it hit me like a brick. Wasn’t that line in Aliens (the 2nd one) when Sigourney Weaver’s character was first talking to the little girl called Newt? Remember? the little girl was holding the head of a doll.
Am I right about this? Do these commercials seem familiar to anyone else?
Comment // March 18th, 2007 // 3:10 pm
i see these fellows every weekend at my local wal-mart
its about time somebody reconized them
Comment // March 18th, 2007 // 3:14 pm
My dad and I love to watch the caveman commercials and we always laugh at them.
You guys should make a sitcom of them
Keep it up
Comment // March 21st, 2007 // 10:39 am
I know you said you haven’t matched the individual actors to the cavemen yet, but has anybody successfully traced the individual caveman characters through the various commercials? For example, I believe that the two in the restaurant are the first two on the balcony at the party; “duck with mango salsa” is the one on the right who went with Geico. The caveman who interrupts them with news about his girlfriends is the one with the therapist. Agree? “No appetite” at the restaurant appears on the news talk tv program? I’m not sure how the airport traveler matches up with any other commercials.
Comment // March 25th, 2007 // 3:14 pm
To misfire
So we know for sure John Lehr was the boom operator and the one to go to therapy. I agree that his character has more issues to work out than just the one geico commercial (issues like his teachers probably thought he was not as smart as the other kids, or people telling him it’s not Holloween so take off the mask).
I see that the Caveman Who Refused To Eat is the same one in the news debate and the one asking for some loyalty, but the Airport Caveman was too offended to become a sell out so that makes me think that the one who ordered the duck is the one who got the insurance from Geico.
Pingback // March 27th, 2007 // 4:52 am
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Comment // April 2nd, 2007 // 4:53 pm
I think one of the cavemen is val kilmer
Comment // April 2nd, 2007 // 6:41 pm
I think there are a couple of other spots not on this list.
There’s the “News Show Part II” one which ends with the caveman saying, “Uh, what?”
And there’s the “Therapist Part III” bumper (not the doll one) where he says something about having a meltdown.
Comment // May 10th, 2007 // 12:44 pm
My wife and I have a hotly and ongoing debate. I think there is one “Main Man” who appears on the news show, who is the same caveman who walks through the airport, and is the same one who talks to his therapist, and he is also the one who confronts the other one who he feels is betraying them by buying Geico insurance. Is this correct, or do different actors appear in each of these roles?
Comment // May 11th, 2007 // 3:54 pm
I do not think he is the one in the therapist office, it’s something I am trying to sort out. There are definitely different actors (as pointed out in the FAQ on the very article you are commenting on).
Who is who is something I still haven’t sorted out.
Comment // May 16th, 2007 // 1:46 pm
Seriously,” a 4 x 5…I’m looking RIGHT at it”…
I wonder if the creator of the airport commercial intended to point out a problem with the perception of dimension regarding the cavemans perspective. After all, the sign is perceived from THIS caveman (myself), at being a 4 x 10 or a 4 x 8 sign
Comment // May 16th, 2007 // 3:49 pm
I do agree with what Sandrine posted above. I love the commercials but to make a successful 30 min. show they will definately need the same actors on the commercials they have now. They will definately need great writers to keep it funny.
I hope the executives make all the right decisions and don’t kill a good thing.
Comment // May 20th, 2007 // 6:47 pm
Many years agi when I worked for the State of NY I carried Geico insurance and was most contented with it – today I feel the ads represent the worsy in all types of advertising. It’s shame to see a once great insuracne company got to pot!!!
Comment // June 7th, 2007 // 8:41 pm
I think you should have written about the confusion over which ad was the first. I read a interesting view on Jimmyco, http://www.jimmyco.com/display.php?codename=Gecko
Comment // July 10th, 2007 // 2:22 am
What airport was the commerical filmed at? Perhaps it’s just CGI, as in this day and age, I don’t think you’d have a parking garage overlooking the tarmac. Also, the shot looking o9ut the window would have been taken “through” the wall to get both the caveman and the window in the shot. Still….if it’s real, it’s driving me crazy I can’t place it!
Comment // July 20th, 2007 // 2:44 pm
TO: Joe Lawson, Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon
Hi Joe, Dan, Guy, Will & Josh:
Allowe me to introduce myself. I’m:
ADRIENNE SIOUX KOOPERSMITH (aka: ASK)
who is a Creatif that resides in Chicago, that bounces from being a Writer, Eventologist, Graphic Designer and LifeStyle Conceptualist to Public Relations Maverick.
Turning back the time machine, I created a CAVE MAN Cartoon Character on Wednesday, July 25, 1990 – that later developed into the popular:
CAVE MAN NEVER DAYS (R)
that was a renown 16 Day Period when ALL THINGS CAVE-ish took center-stage. The Books on my CAVE MAN PERSONALITY was more of a 34,000 CAVEMAN-ISMS (as coined by a Texas DJ that interviewed me in 1993) – list of One-Line Zingers that looked at the differences between LIVING LIFE IN PREHISTORIA compared to living life today. The CAVE MAN Artwork itself was a profile and morphing of a compilation of a few of my then boyfriends.
Of course, back in the early 1990s, it’s totallly different than it was in a post- 911 world, we could say or “UGH” about.
Although all that Creative Mish-Mosh happened in the early 90s before PCs took a really active role in our lives, there’s nothing neater than a CAVE MAN since ‘there’s a little Neanderthal left in all of us’ – even for all the WANNA-BE’s out there who think more is better. Just think, MULTI-TASKING was not invented and nobody really needed to do much, except to HUNT & GATHER, which are the cornerstones of every male and female today. They HUNT; we GATHER. Then, we watch GEICO CaveMen at night trying to figure out where the Species went right/wrong or somewhere in-between.
BENEFITS & POSITIVES OF AN EARLIER LIFETIME: Plus, when a Series like this is produced, the costume/wardrobe staff is nearly eliminated since there’s not too much variety in a loin cloth. I may be resurrecting MY CAVE MAN…as history and PRE-HISTORY does have a way of recycling itself. Expect a bunch of little Cave Men and Women to be knocking on your door for Halloween – ie: HOWL-O-Ween of 2007.
I hope your PREMIER will be taking place across the USA (for starters) and will feature all dress-ware as in Leopard Prints and Loincloths. CAVE MEN do make a fashion statement, you know!
I’m looking forward to seeing your Production, Joe, Dan, Guy, Will & Josh.
Cheers,
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
AKA: Cave Woman…
Cave Man Never Werks (R)
Chicago, IL
847-533-4315
Adrienne.Sioux.Koopersmith@gmail.com
eMailed: July 20, 2007 – 11:44 AM CST
Comment // July 23rd, 2007 // 4:35 pm
Uh..thanks for that, I’ll pass it along if I ever see any of those people.
I would like to note that I know have the last ‘talk show’ / ‘therpaist’ ads online now.
Comment // July 26th, 2007 // 5:55 pm
ohhhh i really hope i find the ringtone that goes alone with the airport scene! i loooooooooove it. any ideas on how i can get these please email me at amannasue@yahoo.com
Comment // August 3rd, 2007 // 5:38 am
See these commercials all the time. I’m not sure why they are still playing though? And I’m not the only one not understanding these commercials though. And there is more than one way to look at one thing mentioned. You hear “so easy even a caveman can do it.” Is that telling people that this is simple so they can do it with no problem? Or, is it telling them since a caveman can do it you don’t have to worry about being stupid?
Comment // August 3rd, 2007 // 6:24 pm
The point is that it’s a “fake” commercial for Geico, so you could say the “fake” commercial also makes fun of people for being stupid with the Internet.
Comment // August 11th, 2007 // 10:58 am
Why were my recent comments removed? There was no profanity, it was simply a ststement of opinion.
Apparently, this web site removes comments that they do not agree with.
Censorship is ugly!
Bye-bye, awfulcommercials.com. May we never cross paths again.
Comment // August 13th, 2007 // 10:11 am
Jared, there’s an article on the front page about how we have just moved servers, and some comments made during the move might have vanished. http://www.awfulcommercials.com/archives/2007/08/10/hey-where-did-my-comment-go-shaking-fist/
But oh no you’ve left forever, I’m too late.
Comment // August 23rd, 2007 // 9:02 pm
I love the commercial cavemen and do not want anyone different! If they have to get different guys, I hope they have the same way of acting. When a caveman pauses and looks away after seeing the sign at the airport, it is priceless with that head jerk. I hope they keep it the same, but add in a larger storyline.
Comment // August 24th, 2007 // 10:31 am
I noticed a new 15 second spot for cavemanscrib.com coupled with some of the regular Geico spots on cable television, if I can find the video somewhere I’ll add a link to it.
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Comment // September 7th, 2007 // 11:59 am
My response to #25:
“Uh, what?!”
:)
I love the Cavemen! :)
Comment // September 17th, 2007 // 12:35 am
Hi, fellow caveman fans…I’m nervously waiting for the premiere of the caveman series…meanwhile I was browsing in Barnes and Noble and saw a new book called “Keep Chewing Until
It Stops Moving finding your inner caveman” I think the author is Steve Graham. It features a “caveman” on the cover. I might actually buy it. Then I wandered over to the magazines and the cover of MAD magazine features the geico caveman on the cover…I had to buy it. “So simple, a caveman can read it..” I haven’t even had a chance to read it yet. And I had to buy the July issue of MAD because they had Alfred E. Newman as Jack Sparrow—the details in the artwork are priceless–he has among other things hanging in his hair: a full kebob skewer, m & m’s, a pine tree car air freshener…
I wonder if we will see more caveman related merchandise, other than what geico has, which is pretty good already.
Comment // September 24th, 2007 // 10:15 am
Has to be one of the worst commercials ever produced. Obviously it is intended to entertain those with an IQ of a house plant. Advertisers readily admit they aim their commercials at the lower-third of the education pole and Geico has certainly achieved this status. Maybe that is why most TV viewers use the mute button during all commercials nowadays. Why anyone would watch any commercial is beyond me, but for now the remote control is our only hope….unless you want to watch only TCM and Public Television. Hmmm, not a bad idea at that.
Comment // December 26th, 2007 // 6:50 am
He rocks, hehehe.
Comment // March 28th, 2009 // 9:17 pm
I like Billy Bob Thorton in caveman commercial. He good, commercial funny. Be my friend ok?
Comment // June 11th, 2009 // 2:16 am
The disgust of the cavemen toward the advertisement, “So easy, a caveman could do it” succesfully shifts the focus from something as simple as getting a car insurance quote to a mere distortion of self-image. It attempts to do the impossible feat – offend nobody.
Comment // July 17th, 2009 // 7:33 pm
I’ve been searching for cleveland internet marketing consultant and this post got my attention…Really helped me a lot :)
Comment // December 1st, 2009 // 7:33 pm
If I wasn’t mandated to have auto insurance and GEICO didn’t have the best cheapest product; the commercials would have been enough to change insurers; I cannot stand those commercials; I never saw that cavemen TV Sit com….and thank god for that.
Comment // January 7th, 2010 // 11:01 pm
I love these commercials. Wish they would make another!!
Comment // August 6th, 2010 // 10:24 pm
I just stumbled across this old post. If anyone is still around, I think you’ll love this new blog, which pokes fun at bad commercials (not the Caveman ones though–love those!):
http://www.pointlessplanet.com