GEICO NAILS THE FIVE MAGIC METRICS.
Success in advertising comes down to nailing five numbers. Nobody does it better than GEICO, and the insurance category shows exactly why.
| The Five Magic Metrics | GEICO | Liberty Mutual |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Breakthrough Did you remember seeing the ad? | Yes. The caveman, the gecko, the camel. Everyone remembers. | Mostly. Doug and LiMu Emu are remembered, but not iconic. |
| 2 · Brand recall Do you remember what it was for? | Yes. You always know it's GEICO. | Good, not great. How many people know "LiMu" is Liberty Mutual? |
| 3 · Message recall Do you remember the main message? | Off the charts. "15 minutes could save you 15% or more." | Fails. "Only pay for what you need" doesn't land and the meaning is unclear. |
| 4 · Likeability Did you like it? | Loved. These are the ads people quote at the watercooler. | Liked. But not enough to carry a campaign without a message. |
| 5 · Purchase intent Would you buy? | Highest in the category. Who hasn't checked how much they could save? | Probably not. Based on the ads, you're not switching. |
GEICO: THE BEST ADVERTISER IN THE INDUSTRY
GEICO is usually running at least three different campaigns at once, and they all work for the same reason. Everyone remembers the ads. They break through with relatable humor that sticks. Viewers always know what brand the ad is for, so brand recall is high. Message recall is off the charts: who doesn't know "15 minutes could save you 15% or more"?
They kill on likeability. People don't just like GEICO ads, they love them. And because of all that, purchase intent is higher than any other insurer. Memorable characters, strategic humor and a tagline that cements the message make GEICO the best insurance advertiser, and likely the best advertiser in any industry.
LIBERTY MUTUAL: ALWAYS LOOKING UP
Liberty Mutual does a lot right and the Five Magic Metrics show exactly where it falls short. People remember Doug and LiMu Emu and the Liberty Biberty guy, but they don't reach GEICO's iconic status. Brand recall is good, not great.
Message recall is where it fails. "Only pay for what you need" doesn't resonate and the meaning is unclear. Customizing your insurance doesn't sound like a differentiating benefit, and it's hard to know if it means cost savings or better coverage. The ads are likable, but not enough to save a campaign without a compelling message. Are you likely to switch to Liberty Mutual? Probably not. So they fail on the measure that matters most: purchase intent.
Author of Hacking Advertising. Founder and president of Wild Gravity, the Seattle creative production company that makes ads for Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo and LEGO without the agency. Before that he was "the client" at Microsoft, L.L.Bean and Redfin. Full bio