Geico numbers

The Consumed column earlier this year about the Geico cavemen mentioned the massive amounts of money that the insurance company spends on advertising. Is it worth it?

An item in Ad Age the other day says yes. Since 2004, Geico has increased its ad spending by 75%, to more than half a billion dollars a year. Citing a study by JD Power, Ad Age says Geico’s market share has grown, it tops rivals in acquiring new customers, and awareness of the brand has risen — “91% of shoppers today say they have seen or heard at least one Geico message in the last 12 months.”

That’s really an amazing figure. I didn’t know it was possible to expose 91% of Americans to anything anymore.

What this really means to other advertisers is hard to say. It does suggest that advertising can still work, etc., but creative aside, that spending level is pretty dizzying.