Geico Pig is Polarizing but Memorable

Maxwell the pig has come back with a vengeance, and the Geico spokespig that first squealed his way into America’s hearts back in 2010 continues to be just as polarizing as ever. Unlike his more prolific Gecko counterpart, Maxwell the pig has only appeared in two commercials, the second of which premiered a little over a month ago and features the pin wheel toting pig on a zip-line promoting the new Geico mobile app.

Response to Maxwell’s return has been mixed, inspiring both a Facebook fan page as well as a number of angry threads on sites like Commercials I Hate and numerous scathing Tweets.

The commercial seems to fall into the exact pitfall discussed in yesterday’s look at the Top Insurance Commercials of 2011 that explained, “ads such as the Geico Caveman and Flo risked ‘irking’ some people who don’t care for those particular characters…” And, when it comes to “irking” viewers, Maxwell seems to be a worse offender than most. One person who clearly detests the commercial even felt compelled to create the following chart:

Still, regardless of how you feel about Maxwell, he’s generating a lot of attention for Geico. And, thanks to the diversity of Geico’s existing ad campaigns, even if this particular commercial doesn’t resonate with some viewers, it’s unlikely to leave them soured on the company as a whole. If anything, the strong emotional response (both positive and negative) leaves people more likely to remember the brand. After all, a zip-lining pig might not make a lot of sense when it comes to selling insurance, but it’s an image that stays with you whether you want it to or not.