Content Marketing Lessons Driven by the Geico Gecko
And It’s Not Just Content But Mobile Content for the iPhone
The Geico gecko campaign is an excellent example of effective advertising because it integrates humor with a consistent product benefit message. Nonetheless, it suffers from the same limitations that afflict all advertising:
- It calls out to customers whether or not they want to hear the message. Thus, however amusing, it’s still an example of interruption marketing.
- Because each ad is short, Geico is limited in the amount of information it can convey.
- There is little intrinsic value to the content of the ads. That is, they don’t help Geico customers be more successful or live better lives.
- However amusing, their constant repetition can become annoying even for big fans of Geico like me.
- This is strictly one-way communication that does not enable customer interaction.
Now, however, they have added a powerful content marketing component to their marketing mix.
Geico Jumps on the Mobile Content Marketing Bandwagon with GloveBox™ App
Most of us rarely interact with our own insurance company let alone with other insurance carriers. Now Geico has cleverly added intrinsically valuable content to its GloveBox™ App so that both customers and non-customers will benefit.
Normally, we contact our insurance companies because we have a specific insurance related-problem. Now we are enticed to interact with Geico so that they can help us with the number of car related challenges.
Here’s the kind of useful mobile content that Geico promises with the content-driven iPhone app:
- Bill Pay & Insurance ID Card(s) – Pay your GEICO auto insurance bill and access your current insurance ID cards from your phone.
- Accident Helper – Take advantage of our Accident Helper which helps put you in contact with emergency services, gives you a place to organize photos and much more.
- Roadside Service – Locator features allow you to find nearby tow services and gas stations…anywhere, anytime. Use your phone’s GPS or enter a location manually, it’s up to you!
- Taxi/Rental Car – Need a taxi to get home from the repair shop or maybe even after a night of fun? Want to rent a car? Our locator will help find what you need in moments.
- Auto How To’s – Our step-by-step instructions can help you jump start a vehicle, change a flat tire or check your tire pressure.
With the GloveBox™ App Geico has gone from an amusing TV commercial that reaches out to us whether we want the interruption or not to a mobile helper that can extricate us from car challenges wherever we happen to be.
It’s great to know that the Geico gecko has jumped on board the content marketing bandwagon for the benefit of his company and his customers. Crikey! That’s one savvy marketing lizard.
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Comments [2]
Great insights and a neat example from a largely “traditional” marketer. The point is made that this new app is only a part of their marketing mix, which is a good thing, as many of us do not own iPhones nor plan to, which prevents us from being reached with this channel. As annoying and increasingly passe’ the interruption marketing methods may be there is still a large place in the world for them.
Newt,
Geico is a company, I think, that many people watch in advertising because of their unconventional approach has created such great buzz and success. I think whatever they do, the world should watch. This app is a good one, and again will leave competitors chasing them. They have revolutionized a lizard into a spokesperson for car insurance.