Yes, it’s true. ABC has announced that “Caveman“, a sitcom based on the common caveman characters from the GEICO insurance television ads, will be on their fall schedule. While spinning off a television commercial into a sitcom may appear to be a violation of FCC rules by some, there has been precedent.
The most recent example is “Baby Bob“, a very short-lived 2002 sitcom starring a talking man-baby character that had starred in a series of ads for FreeInternet.com. Although the high-profile company died after the infamous dotcom crash, the talking baby emerged unscathed with his own CBS sitcom, “Baby Bob.” When the network cancelled the display after only nine episodes, Bob emerged one more time to star in a series of TV commercials for Quiznos Subs. In 2007, he was even too creepy for Quiznos and his character was pulled from all further ads. But, don’t feel too sorry for Bob. He serene has his believe web page on the Quiznos site.
From a critic’s standpoint, “Baby Bob” serves as additional proof that what has worked in the 30-second ad format has been difficult to sustain in a remarkable longer sitcom or motion describe format.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
Jim Varney’s quick-witted “Hey Vern!” character, Ernest P. Worrell, not only translated well into a children’s television show, but also became a successful series on the big screen.
In 1980, a Nashville-based advertising agency, Carden & Cherry, cast struggling droll actor Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell in a series of Southern regional TV ads for a variety of products. His Ernest character was a talkative nosy neighbor whose catchphrase was “know whut I mean? ” The ads caught on and the Ernest P. Worrell character then began appearing in various commercials across the country. In 1988, CBS brought “Hey, Vern! It’s Ernest!” to their Saturday children’s television line-up. Although the series lasted only a year, the Ernest P. Worrell character next made a successful transition to the big screen, starring in a series of profitable low-budget movie comedies including “Ernest Goes to Camp”, “Ernest Saves Christmas”, and six others.
The California Raisins also transitioned to children’s television, in their case, a cell-animated series. They made their debut as a claymation-animated Motown-style singing group in a 1987 commercial for the California Raisin Advisory Board. Like Ernest, their TV series only lasted a year. However, their ancillary merchandise still continues to sell.
The Max Headroom character took the opposite route from the prior mentioned characters. He began as a cyberpunk protagonist in a 1984 British television movie. In 1987, Max Headroom came to the States as an ABC television series. Despite a strong cult following, it only lasted fourteen episodes. After the show was cancelled, Max appeared in a series of highly successful commercials for Coca-Cola.
SOURCES:
“Gauging viewer tastes”, Stuart Elliot, New York Times, URL: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/business/media/16adco.html? _r=1&oref=slogin)
“Who Owns Your Great Idea? “, Noreen O’Leary, Adweek, URL: (http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp? vnu_content_id=1003556825)
“Why advertising’s cavemen are going totally Hollyrock? “, Brooks Barnes and Suzanne Vranica, Wall Street Journal, URL: (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117305670677226518-GDYgRU6JmWO40cfjfFMEDLLE_DM_20070311.html)
“Caveman Chic”, Ramin Setoodeh, Newsweek, URL: (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17887559/site/newsweek/)
http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/2006/06/quiznos_finally.html
“Look who’s hawking”, Seth Stevenson, Slate, URL: (http://www.slate.com/id/2112786/)
“Advergaming”, David Radd, Business Week, URL: (http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2006/id20061011_567417.htm? chan=innovation_game+room_top+stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_P._Worrell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Raisin
“Max Headroom”, Henry Jenkins, Museum of Broadcasting Communications, URL: (http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/maxheadroom/maxheadroom.htm)
Filed under Progressive Insurance by on Feb 26th, 2011. Comment. 
Classic car auto insurance can be more difficult to find in a standard car auto insurance company than traditional insurance. Finding classic car auto insurance at competitive rates can be even more difficult. In many cases, a person will have to locate a classic car auto insurance specialty company to insure his or her car with. It is especially helpful to choose a company that specializes in classic car auto insurance, because these companies may have a better understanding of the type of insurance principal for a classic car. Some of these classic car auto insurance carriers can be found on the Internet.
There are several classic car auto insurance carriers that are available on the Internet, both for quotes and the buy of auto insurance policies. The policies offered by these carriers may be more capable for classic cars than those offered by aged insurance companies. Hagerty is a classic car network that offers many different services for classic car owners, including classic car auto insurance.
Another classic car auto insurance carrier is American Collectors Insurance, which is said to be the leading provider of classic auto insurance and collectibles insurance in the United States. This company, and others like it, will work out and agreed value on a car with the insured. What this does is allows a classic car collector to maintain a classic car in perfect condition, or restore it perfect condition, with the knowledge that his or her investment will be protected by that individual’s insurance company. In difference, many standard insurance companies will simply work out what they determined to be the blue book value of a car, whether it is classic or not, which may cut the value of a classic car owners claim in the event something were to happen to his or her car.
Although classic car auto insurance can be more difficult to find at times than traditional auto insurance, there are companies that specialize in class car auto insurance. While a person may be able to acquire classic car auto insurance through a traditional broker, it may be obedient for a person to research what is available online prior to committing to one insurance company. By using the Internet, a person can find classic car auto insurance through specialized dealers who understand what a person seeking this type of insurance really needs.
Filed under Progressive Insurance by on Feb 24th, 2011. Comment.
It’s no secret that teenage drivers are generally not as great as adult drivers on the road. In fact, teenagers earn in accident 6 times more often than adult drivers. Due to this, insurance is an important thing to pay attention to for your teenager. The most important thing is to have comfort in knowing that your child’s car will be taken care of in an affordable, yet professional manner, if they ever get into a car accident. Here are a few options for the best auto insurance for teenagers, which are easy on your wallet while still providing the coverage that you desire.
Allstate Teen Insurance
Allstate has a great teen driver program, which focuses on a parent-teen driving contract. The parent and the teen decide on agreements for clear actions, like talking on a cellphone while driving and having a curfew, space limits on these actions (or ban them altogether), and finally make consequences if the teen driver breaks any part of the contract. Allstate insurance has taken a great initiative with teen driving safety, and their website http://www.allstateteendriver.com outlines all of their efforts to keep teens safe.
Statefarm Teen Insurance
Statefarm offers two stout opportunities for students to save on car insurance. The first is the ‘Good Student Discount’, which rewards students who get reliable grades by reducing the auto insurance cost. This is a great incentive because, for students with lower grades, it is beneficial motivation to increase grades if they are paying for their insurance, and for students with higher grades, it’s a greater incentive to preserve up the good work. Another highlight of auto insurance for teenagers at Statefarm is the Steer Clear Favorable Driver Discount, which is also pointed towards students. It is an extra refresher course that, when completed, gives an extra discount to those 25 and under. The course can be completed with a kit, on a computer, or even on the iPhone.
Progressive Teen Insurance
Besides offering an online directory with information on auto insurance for teens, Progressive also offers student discounts when applicable. In the online directory, Progressive befriend walk teenagers through the insurance process, explaining each step. Also, they give tips on safe driving and keeping your cool. For example, one page offers tips on how to avoid road rage and unruffled yourself down when it inevitably happens. Another page explains all of the information needed in order to get a quote and figure out how grand the auto insurance will cost for the teenager. Specifically, besides the general student benefits, Progressive doesn’t add any special features or benefits for their auto insurance for teenagers
Liberty Mutual Teen Insurance
Liberty Mutual is very straightforward on its website, http://www.libertymutualteendriving.com, on explaining what a teen and their parent can do to make sure they get the best teen auto insurance value. Liberty Mutual also offers student advantages, where if a student has good grades, they can get up to a 35% discount on their insurance. The amount of the discount varies depending on the grades of the teenager. Liberty Mutual insurance also tells all the specific ways a teenager can save on auto insurance, which is very helpful to have in one condensed area.
Geico Teen Insurance
Geico is yet another student-rewarding insurer, offering discounts for taking a driver’s education class and getting honorable grades. If the teen driver took a driver’s education class, then they are eligible for a discount on their auto insurance. Also, if they get a B-average or higher, they receive another discount. Geico does not offer any other specific teen benefits or tips, meaning the only thing that could make Geico the best teen auto insurance choice is the price of the insurance.
You have the information now; use it to figure out which insurance plans and benefits are legal for your teenager, ensuring their safety and saving as much money as possible.
Philip Reed, Auto Insurance for Teenage Drivers, Edmunds.com.
Geico, Geico.com, Geico.
Progressive, Progressive.com, Geico.com.
Liberty Mutual, libertymutual.com.com, Liberty Mutual.
Allstate, Allstate.com, Allstate.com.
Filed under Automobile Insurance Quotes by on Feb 24th, 2011. Comment.
You have seen them almost every day those irritating commercials about saving money on car insurance. You know, AIG.com and Esurance.com and many others. You can go online and in five minutes glean the quote you have looked for. They all say the same thing, you can set aside up to $364.95. Yep, they claim to have people who have switched from State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, and Geico and saved great time.
Well I can tell you that this is not exactly true. I spent about 2 hours online one day checking all the websites for quotes. When I went to Esurance I found that my insurance would raise about $400.00 every six months through them. AIG was even worse, it took me over 30 minutes to even get my quote and I am sure you figured out already the quote was upwards of $500.00 more than I already pay.
Interestingly I am a married woman age 57 ½ and I have a clean driving picture. My husband also has a clean record. So why I ask myself were our quotes so high. Not because of our credit rating as it is 769, which not to brag but this is a good rating. When I challenged these companies regarding the cost of my quote. I was told, it was because they included my adult children in the quote. Why I ask, because they use my home address as their own. Now my children do not live in the house they use our address as their permanent address of relate. So when they run a check to quote your insurance in Oregon, they run the records of all residents at your address. Even if those people do not reside in the home nor drive your automobile.
No spot with this as I was just testing the waters. We are privileged to carry Geico because my husband is a government employee so we are have our policies through them. They are not the lowest I am sure of that, no accident forgiveness like Allstate. But as my mother use to say, “if it sounds too good to be true, it is too wonderful to be true.” I must assume there is a catch to the entire accident forgiveness and the check they site will come to you for no accidents every 6 months or year.
So in the end I decided it is better to pause with my little lizard friend, I deem he is so cute anyway.
Filed under Progressive Insurance by on Feb 20th, 2011. Comment.
