ABC orders pilot for show based on Geico cavemen ads

[WoodysGirl]

NEW YORK — Those Geico "cavemen" shouldn't be so upset after all — they may get their own television series.

ABC said Friday it had ordered a pilot for a comedy, tentatively titled Cavemen, that features the characters used in a series of ads by the insurance company.

In the ads, cavemen appear insulted by a Geico pitchman's claim that the company's Web site is so easy to use that "even a caveman can do it."

The potential series, one of 14 pilots that will be produced by Touchstone Television this spring, features the cavemen as they "struggle with prejudice on a daily basis as they strive to live the lives of normal thirty-somethings in 2007 Atlanta."

It's unusual for characters from an advertising campaign to move into shows of their own, but not unprecedented. The CBS comedy Baby Bob featured a talking baby that had been used in several advertisements, according to Daily Variety.

The advertising copywriter who helped create the "cavemen" ads is writing the pilot, the studio said.

A pilot order is no guarantee a show will make it on the air; in fact, the majority of pilots don't make it that far.

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[CoCo]

I really find those ads funny.

 

[trickblue]

I really find those ads funny.

I like the ads too, especially the first one, but I doubt a 30 minute sitcom can be pulled off with this concept.

It would take probably one show to use up the gimmicks...

I would rather see a 30 minute show on "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer"...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I like the ads too, especially the first one, but I doubt a 30 minute sitcom can be pulled off with this concept.

It would take probably one show to use up the gimmicks...

I would rather see a 30 minute show on "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer"...

Well...I don't think Phil Hartman is able to do that now...RIP.

I agree with you about the ads and also that the gimmick would not last long in a series.

 

[joseephuss]

Well...I don't think Phil Hartman is able to do that now...RIP.

I agree with you about the ads and also that the gimmick would not last long in a series.

The gimmick has not lasted that long in just the commercials. I liked the first couple and then grew tired of them very quick. Many people I know feel the same. ABC is not good at sitcoms anyway, so it is not surprising.

 

[Yeagermeister]

*sigh* That's so condesending

I'll have the roast duck with mango salsa

 

[Danny White]

Maybe I'm just imagining things, but the main caveman comes across very gay.

I dunno, maybe he's just a "metro-sexual" caveman.

 

[ZeroClub]

Thanks for posting this, WG.

I think those commercials are pretty great.

I'm sure they can churn out hours and hours of Geico cavemen sitcoms so long as people watch. It isn't all that different from the Beverly Hillbillies, the Munsters, and the Addams Family, if you think about it.

My favorite commercial is the Nextel "Push it real good" spot.

I can't imagine a series based on that one.

 

[Signals]

Over the course of many years I have been a big fan of observing How companies market their wares to the consumer, and I think the cave man ads have been some of the best. The ad agency that has the Geico account has some super creative talent working for them. (but not as creative as Juke99 though.)

They have managed to capture peoples attention with out offending some sub group of society with the cave man, which is very rare, although some people that post here have the mentality of cavemen I don't think they qualify.

The ads with the real Geico customer and the celebrities is pretty good as well. The Little Richard one is my favorite.

The squirrel ad is a classic because 100% drivers have faced this dilema during that curtain time of year, and the squirrels doing the high five is hilarious.

It will be interesting to see if the writer of the cave man ad can come up with enough content for the shows.

 

[Mavs Man]

Apparently coming up with new sitcom ideas is not so easy for ABC.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Apparently coming up with new sitcom ideas is not so easy for ABC.

Coming up with good idea is not so easy

 

[bbgun]

As a child of the '70s, I'm more interested in the new "Bionic Woman" pilot.

 

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

I called this months ago!

I've been telling my lovely GF that they need to do a show with the cave men. I LOVE the angry one. I hope he's the main character in this.

I'm glad that the same guy who helped create the commercials is writing the pilot. That means to me that it will be fairly true to the commercials as much as possible.

I for one am looking forward to this. But I know in my mind that they'll screw it up.

 

[lane]

i hate the cavemen geico ads.

 

[Faerluna]

The ads with the real Geico customer and the celebrities is pretty good as well. The Little Richard one is my favorite.

In a world where both of our cars were totally under water....

:laugh2:


One of my favorite commercials though, was the Norelco Bodygroom. It was only on the web, but it really made me laugh.

http://www.shaveeverywhere.com/

 

[Mavs Man]

So... anyone else catch the premiere last week?

Apparently my wife Tivo'd it, so I went ahead and watched it the other day. Not exactly laugh-out-loud funny (no surprise there), but I managed to finish it. At least there was no laugh track.

I give it three more weeks.