No need to waste time discussing mascots as corporate personification…Aflac duck, Ronald McDonald, Trix Rabbit, etc. But there are subtleties to the Geico Gecko worth noting.
Observe the statement that this iconic character “…hasn’t been working nearly that long, but he’s certainly been helping establish…” [1]one location being the April 26, 2010 edition of Forbes, page 75 Or the mention of his “insatiable need to meet people and natural tenacity,” [2]from Geico’s website at https://www.geico.com/about/corporate/word-from-sponsor/ characteristics that supposedly make this fictional character an asset to the Geico sales force. Do these really sound directed to potential customers, or to the employees of the company itself?
Obviously, the mascot provides potential for customers to personify and relate to the company. But in this case, the mascot provides a standard for employees to live up to as well. Would child labor laws permit Wendy to be flipping burgers in the kitchen? We’re all well aware that the Kool-Aid man can’t be trusted around anything breakable… Not the ideal employees! The more subtle genius of the Geico Gecko is how it functions not only in the minds of the customer base, but in the minds of the employees as well.
References
| ↑1 | one location being the April 26, 2010 edition of Forbes, page 75 |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | from Geico’s website at https://www.geico.com/about/corporate/word-from-sponsor/ |