Are Geico's cavemen ready for prime time?

Money Central/WSJ ^ | March 5, 2007

[2ndDivisionVet]

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.

Although the project is at a nascent stage -- there's no script and no cast -- plans call for the comedy to be titled "Cavemen" and focus on a trio of prehistoric characters who battle prejudice in modern-day Atlanta. Walt Disney's (DIS, news, msgs) ABC will pay for the pilot and show, if one eventually materializes. Geico, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, news, msgs), will have no creative control but will receive a royalty payment for the use of the characters.

"We sell car insurance; we don't make TV shows," says Ted Ward, Geico's vice president of marketing. "We are excited to have an opportunity to do brand extension."

[2ndDivisionVet]

I love those commercials, because they reflect our "victim" society and everyone taking offense at the slightest thing, plus metrosexual cavemen are a hoot!!

[angkor]

Phil Hartman did it best:

"Your world frightens and confuses me! Sometimes the honking horns of your traffic make me want to get out of my BMW.. and run off into the hills, or wherever.. Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine, I wonder: "Did little demons get inside and type it?" I don't know! My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts. But there is one thing I do know - when a man like my client slips and falls on a sidewalk in front of a public library, then he is entitled to no less than two million in compensatory damages, and two million in punitive damages. Thank you."

[Zeon Cowboy]

God rest his soul.

[oyez]

Culture shock. Worked well for Beverly Hill Billies, 3 Rock and Mork & Mindy.

[ozzymandus]

Those whiny, liberal cavemen may be a good parody of modern liberals, but I can’r stand them.

[IslandJeff]

Gotta use the existing actors. GEICO is annoying, but the cavemen, what with social hangups et al, works. Not sure the idiom can survive a TV season, but what the heck? Couldn’t be worse than most of the pap swill out now.

[Dallas59]

I just called my mother on this..Exploiting Cavemen isn’t right. What if people started saying that the Internet is so easy to use that IslandJeff could do it? How does that make you feel? Excuse me while I “IslandJeff” the internet....

[The Duke]

Don Imus would have done well to restricting is criticisms to the caveman demographic.

[kingu]

Haven’t watched a half hour sitcom in so long, I can’t remember the last one I watched. So honestly, it don’t matter to me what they do - I won’t watch it anyway.

That being said, stupid idea. Looks cute on paper, but can you imagine trying to come up with season 3’s plot lines? It’s so limited in concept, the worst case scenario would be if it was incredibly successful. It could be a runaway hit, blowing everyone out of the time slot, and die such a horrible death.

Pull the plug now, toss the club into the closet and leave it to Geico commercials.

[ReignOfError]

Don Imus would have done well to restricting is criticisms to the caveman demographic.

That would have been unwise. The caveman demographic was his core audience.

[B-Chan]

“Cavemen, Episode 303: ‘One Day At A Time’: In this very special episode (3 of 3), the Cavemen join forces to defeat the greatest menace of all: alcoholism. Special guests: Elizabeth Taylor, Nick Nolte”

[Elyse]

It was funny at first, but now it’s just stupid. It’s like the energizer bunny, the commercials were unexpected and funny at first and now, I refuse to buy energizer batteries because I’m so sick of that damn bunny.

[Drammach]

Not sure the idiom can survive a TV season, but what the heck?

My sentiments as well..
I could be wrong, but I don't think it would last through it's first season, probably get canceled by the 4th episode..

Not like I'm a critic, or anything..
Might be a major hit if the writing's good.

[Dahoser]

Folks, this ain't gonna be A Caveman in Judge Judy's Court and Other Modern Places. Rather, it is directed at the latter day cavemen known as, well, us:

Although the project is at a nascent stage -- there's no script and no cast -- plans call for the comedy to be titled "Cavemen" and focus on a trio of prehistoric characters who battle prejudice in modern-day Atlanta.

A weekly re-enactment of the piranha attack on Imus? No thanks.

[Celtic Conservative]

Don Imus would have done well to restricting is criticisms to the caveman demographic

Nappy headed Cro(magnon)?

CC

[Hatteras]

I want to see what Tina looks like before I make a decision on any potential TV series.

[LIConFem]

The Cavemen are about to jump the shark.

[jimfree]

Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer is one of the best. The Geico cavemen are great fun but it might be too limited a joke to carry a series.

[Miss Marple]

I have to agree with you. What makes the commercials funny is what's left unsaid.

For example, in the scene where the caveman is talking with the therapist, his cell phone rings and he says "It's my mother. I'll put her on the speaker.."

We don't see the mother, and in fact are surprised that there IS a mother. Our imaginations conjur up her appearance, her attitude (possibly similar to George Costanza's mother) and her voice.

In a series we wouldn't be using our imagination, and whoever would play that character would be inferior to what we have conjured up in our minds.

The whole success of those stories lies in their appearing only in short vignettes. I don't think a series would work.

I also would like to point out that the "prejudice" currently in the commercials comes from people who are typically thought of as broad-minded, like the therapist. Moving them to Atlanta is simply going to result in a lot of cheap southerner jokes and won't work as well, IMHO.

[Fairview]

Cavemen wouldn’t live in Atlanta, anyway. It’s too new money. They’d be in Manhattan or SF.