Help us settle a holiday disagreement .... The Geico Gecko .......

[Stinky The Clown]

..... a British accent or an Australian accent?

[Sock Puppet]

1. British

[Ryano42]

2. Cockney UK I believe.

Gov'nah! :)

[datasuspect]

3. south londonish accent

[Frank Cannon]

4. It started out as Australian

Then they changed it to a British, Manchesterish accent. Don't know why they did that.

So you're both right.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Hmmmm .... that could be the source of the disagreement

[YankeyMCC]

6. Somewhere someone is being paid

to tell ad makers which accents Americans respond positively too.

[Left Is Write]

8. Yup. That first gecko was Australian. And he didn't WANT to pitch for Geico.

He was answering a wrong number (poor thing had to get out of the shower to do so!).

[CreekDog]

11. they didn't want people to associate Geico with descendents of criminals

:popcorn: :hide:

[qnr]

12. So they associated him with insurance companies??? :) n/t

[CreekDog]

13. ahh, good point

that's actually worse!

:spray:

[PVnRT]

29. I could have sworn that Kelsey Grammar did the voice originally

[krispos42]

38. He did

Then they went with the foreign accent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geico_gecko#The_GEICO_gecko

<edit: link>

[pink-o]

41. I lived in the UK for 5 years

..sorry, that accent is West London, not Manchester. I know, I'm pedantic, my apologies.

But it hardly matters, bcuz I think ALL of Geico's advertising sucks!

[Frank Cannon]

42. I have a friend from Manchester and he sounds JUST LIKE...

the gecko.

But who knows, maybe he spent a lot of time in West London.

Anyway, the "foreign voice" was clearly Australian before it ended up in the British Isles.

[Deep13]

7. Fake accent. nt

[Kutjara]

22. Nope

Real accent by real Brit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Wood

[Burma Jones]

9. Cooks up crisp and juicy............n/t

[Bake]

14. Mmmmmmmmm ... tastes like chicken!

Bake

[madinmaryland]

15. Only if you use Corn Flakes!

[Burma Jones]

36. you ignorant slut..................

[yellowcanine]

10. Geckos are from Africa so my guess would be Colonial British Accent

learned in a school run by a bunch of white Anglican missionary ladies who wore pith helmets and flannel spine covers to protect themselves from the equatorial sun.

[Felix Mala]

16. I agree, British cockney... notice how he "wolls" his "wrrrs" sometimes

as in Oliver. He talks a lot like Keith Moon.

Of course, a lot of the criminals first sent to Australia were from the lower, cockney classes.

[EstimatedProphet]

17. Brixton UK innit?

[bridgit]

18. it's a 'british' accent, but heard they went through a couple brits, then just handed...

the chore to an american actor who now does imo a lousy job at it if that's the case even though product placement data says that a british accent slaps 15 IQ points onto whatever you're selling

[Kutjara]

20. The actor is actually British.

His name is Jake Wood.

More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Wood

[bridgit]

26. i'm sticking with your Estuary English, Jake's offering does not imo...

slap 15 IQ points on the side of that gecko in spite of the polling data

[Kutjara]

27. It's funny.

To Brits (or those of us who've spent a significant part of their lives in the UK), the accent used by "Gecko" is stereotypically viewed as connoting craftiness, slyness, and (often) untrustworthiness. UK TV and movie fiction is full of sharp-suited, fast-talking "wideboys" and "spivs" (invariably with working-class London accents), who want nothing more than to pick your pocket and would sell their mothers for a bag of chips.

I'm not sure if GEICO realize what an appropriate spokesreptile their little gecko is for an insurance company.

[bridgit]

28. I do see that, it's all so Artful Dodger-esque,

Just watched Layer Cake (good film a lot of talented faces), likewise riddled with what you've referred to as 'wiseboys invariably w/working-class London accents'. The sun never sets on The British Empire? That was very likely not an accident for so many years, somebody was picking someone's pocket :hi:

[Kutjara]

19. Estuary English

The term refers to the accent and pronunciation typical of English speakers who live along the estuary of the River Thames in England. The area is roughly contiguous with the city of London and surrounding counties, including Surrey, Kent, and Essex. It's often mistaken for "Cockney" by non-British listeners, but differs in key respects from that dialect.

Strictly, Cockney is limited to those born within the sound of the bells of Bow Church in the East End of London. Estuarine English has elements of Cockney, but also large contributions from the other accents and speech patterns of the Home Counties.

More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuary_English

[SOteric]

21. 'E ain't gotz a accent. It's you wot does.

[ashling]

23. Actually, that is the way that my Geckos talk

mybe they have been watching too much tv

[JVS]

24. Evil! Pure Evil!

[Ilsa]

25. Don't care. The ads with Little Richard and Joan Rivers are hysterical. nt

[psychmommy]

30. i like the fred flinstone and jed clampett ones also

did you see the one with dolls? hysterical !

[Ilsa]

34. I like the caveman stuff also. Great imagination! nt

[regnaD kciN]

31. They now CLAIM it's British, but it isn't...

...it's definitely Aussie. I assume they are now saying it isn't because of complaints from Australians.

[pipoman]

32. I'm not sure but..

I am sure he is voting for HRC.

Edit..whoops I thought I was in GD...never mind..

[Capn Sunshine]

33. Cockney

A variation on English.
What maketing genius thought the talking insurance gecko needed a cockney accent?

[no name no slogan]

35. Engrish

[nadine_mn]

37. Actually is Kevin Costner ala Robin Hood

[WinkyDink]

39. Def. British; I love it, and I hate Aussie accents.

[chknltl]

40. Talking geckos: fast food for cave men.

...just sayin.

[billyskank]

43. Wow, Americans really *are* confused by Australian accents.

If this is the voice you are talking about, it is certainly estuary English or "mockney", the faux-cockney accent, as is nowadays spoken by many people all over the south-east of England:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3IfjClAo78

[LaurenG]

45. That's the one

Merry New Year! :hug:

[billyskank]

46. Merry new year to you too!

:hug:

[Indi Guy]

44. Elizardian English... n/t