Geico is well-known for its clever advertising campaigns. As a millennial, Geico’s gecko commercials are a favorite memory of my youth. A “core memory,” as the youth of the 2020s would say. Little did I know that I, Maria Pendolino, would one day grow up to be a Geico commercial female voiceover. After all, when these commercials first came out in 1999, I was in the prime of my TV-watching days. After I returned from school, I used to go into the living room and turn the TV on for an hour or so to relieve whatever stressors were facing my adolescent psyche.
This was when everyone still had cable — there were no streaming services to peruse, and even satellite TV was a bit of a splurge for most people. And there was no targeted advertising based on our browsing habits. This landscape created a bit of a monoculture where we all watched the same episodes and specials simultaneously. It also meant we all watched the same commercials. More specifically, we were all watching Geico commercials.
What makes Geico commercials so popular?
Long before I was ever in the market for a car or home insurance, I knew that Geico could save me 15% or more on these expenses. That’s the power of a clever marketing campaign. “Clever” is a great way to describe Geico commercials. Even in the early days, before “viral marketing” was even a phrase in our collective conscience, Geico knew that making commercials that were funny and enjoyable to watch would have an impact.
Consider this: the introduction of Geico’s famous gecko character came to be because so many people confused the name “Geico” with “gecko.” The gecko’s first appearance broke the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience, asking them to kindly stop confusing the name “Geico” with the word “gecko.”
Fast forward to 2005, and the gecko (whom we are pleased to inform you have the real name of Martin) was voted “America’s favorite advertising icon.” Throughout the years, Geico has tried (successfully) to incorporate different characters and subplots into their advertisements, but Martin still continues to pop up now and then to this day.
Which leads us to the question — what makes Geico commercials so beloved anyway? It’s human nature to naturally detest advertisements. As a result, we often see companies trying too hard to “come to peace” with their ad efforts. Geico is successful because they don’t try too hard. They’re naturally funny and endearing. They’re entertaining, which means that people want to watch them.
Who does the voiceover for the Geico commercials?
Let’s give credit where credit is due. There have been a lot of different voiceover artists who have used their talents to bring Geico commercials to life over the years.
First, let’s start with the case of Martin. There has been a long list of actors who have played the amphibian, including Thomas Bromhead, Dave Kelly, Richard Steven Horvitz, Andrew Randall, and even Kelsey Grammar. But the voice actor most commonly associated with Martin is probably Jake Wood, an actor very famous in his native UK for playing in soap operas.
Aside from the Geico storyline, some of Geico’s other famous ad campaigns have included the caveman (played by John Lehr) and the camel (played by “This is Us” actor Chris Sullivan).
Who does the female voiceover in Geico commercials?
If you’re wondering who provides the female voiceover in recent Geico commercials, there’s a good chance it was me, Maria Pendolino.
My Geico journey started in 2022. To date, I have provided voiceovers for three popular Geico commercials, as you can see here:
“Secret Identity”
In typical Geico fashion, this commercial’s humor is just the right amount of “out there” or “absurd.” In it, we see an office worker trying to hide the fact that he’s a famous superhero. Unfortunately, his efforts fail when he forgets to remove his superhero costume before coming to work.
While this commercial features a few different talented on-camera actors, it’s my announcer voiceover that comes in near the end, announcing the benefits of bundling your insurance with Geico.
“Special Effects”
This sci-fi themed Geico ad features a starship team preparing to fight off an intruder, only the “intruder” is nothing more than a man in a motion capture costume with ping pong balls glued on. We’re led to believe the movie didn’t finish their special effects. My voiceover comes on in the end to warn viewers the dangers of cheaping out on their special effects….and of not bundling their home and car insurance.
Maria Pendolino: here for your voice acting needs
As you can see from the above posts, I am the kind of female voiceover talent who is pretty much down to voice anything. In fact, if you’re planning a funny ad campaign, I definitely want to hear from you.
Aside from the Geico commercials, you may have also heard my voice speaking for brands like Dannon, Hoover, The Knot, Xfinity, and Glad Trash Bags. Being somewhat of a “vocal chameleon”, I can happily adjust my services to whatever style you’re looking for, but I especially pride myself on being a conversational, approachable voice that’s welcoming to listeners.
If you’re looking to book your next commercial, feel free to check out my demos or request a live audition. I can’t wait to see what you and your advertising teams have in the works!
Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than ten years worth of experience. A trained professional actor, Maria worked for years in New York City before she moved to a home studio in Buffalo, NY, where she still works to this day.
http://animationWhen you work with Maria, you join the ranks of many other major brand companies who have entrusted Maria to capture their character’s voice. She proudly works in many different fields ranging from corporate voice overs to e-Learning videos to animated shows and movies. Get in touch today to see how Maria can bring your project(s) to life.
