GEICO Cavemen Unearthed

The insurance company GEICO must have an exceptionally large ad budget: it is almost impossible to escape their onslaught of radio and TV ads, varying between straight, informational “15 minutes could save you 15% on car insurance” spots; their edgy, parodic “but there’s good news, I just saved a bundle on car insurance” series; the gecko; and the truly hilarious “GEICO.com, so easy a caveman could do it” TV ad, wherein the announcer is forced to take two well-appointed cavemen out to dinner to assuage their enflamed indignation.

“Seriously, we didn’t even know you guys were still around,” offers the announcer over live piano music.

“Next time do a little research,” spits out the caveman on the right.

The waiter arrives. “Gentlemen, are we ready to order?”

“I’ll take the roast duck,” caveman on the left says, “with mango Salsa.”

Caveman on the right hands the waiter the menu back, says “I don’t have much of an appetite,” then glares disdainfully at Geico guy.

Classic, and some great acting through the makeup by the “cavemen.”

In his email newsletter, NYTimes advertising columnist Stuart Elliott tracked down the names of the cavemen actors, Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber, according to Michele Barker, a spokeswoman for the Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., which created the ad.

Phillips’ credits, according to the IMDbinclude Hide (2003), for which he was the director, producer and co-author in addition to being a cast member; a part in Sneakers (1992); and roles in TV series Arrest and Trial, Philly and Profiler.

He also has a part in a movie scheduled to be released next year, Unknown, which also has in its cast Greg Kinnear, Joe Pantoliano and Jeremy Sisto.

The credits for Weber include movies The Broken Hearts Club, Coach Carter and Kissing Jessica Stein, and TV series Law & Order, Sex and the City and Six Feet Under. He has a recurring role in the WB series Everwood as a guidance counselor named Chris Beels.