Have you seen the latest GEICO Caveman commercial where the Caveman is walking through the airport?

The spot, created by The Martin Agency, shows the Caveman carrying his travel bag and tennis racket gliding past different ads on a moving sidewalk in an airport. He slowly passes a GEICO sign that shows a prehistoric caveman holding a club and reads, “So easy a caveman can do it.” He goes out of the frame and then returns to double-check the sign. The spot ends with him shifting on both of his feet, crossing his arms and glancing around with a look of hurt, embarrassment and frustration.

Every time I see this spot, I crack up. It’s one of the few TV spots that really succeeds in elevating Brand awareness by using humor to poke fun at a sore spot shared amongst almost everyone: the fear that we will be made fun of. After all, how many of us have not at one point experienced embarrassment or frustration because someone did not take us seriously or made fun of one of our own personal caveman traits?

Another favorite of mine is the TBWA\Chiat\Day Nextel Dance Party spot, which generated a huge fan base and won Best Spot awards. Two techies are busy in their office dancing while a third sits on a file cabinet with a boom box. These guys are the epitome of geeks. They can’t dance but they dance so badly without reservation that they are actually pretty good. Geeks and cool guys alike can relate – the fear of dancing badly has no boundaries.

And then there is the latest online marketing sensation – Loneygirl15. She became a viral phenomenon not because of her talents, striking good looks, or socialite status but rather because of her candor on a subject that everyone can relate to but are often afraid to share – her isolation and vulnerability.

What these campaigns share is a trend that seems to be more and more embraced by advertising agencies and their clients: the shift from projecting aspirational visions to the celebration of our everyday lives and imperfections. And it seems to be working.

Catherine Lim, Director of Project Management

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