NEW YORK CITY, February 16, 2010 – What's the next step for a beloved Gecko who for over 10 years has captivated America and was even voted America's favorite advertising icon?
For the next month at least, he'll be stepping onto the stage of the New York City fashion scene, showing off his everyday work outfit.
Parsons The New School for Design invited the GEICO Gecko to be a part of its month-long "Workwear" exhibit on view through March 5 at the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons, 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street in New York.
"The thought of the GEICO Gecko costume being invited into a high-brow fashion exhibition hosted by one of New York's most prestigious design institutions is truly an honor for us," said Ted Ward, GEICO's vice president of marketing. "We thought it seemed like the perfect way to illustrate the connection between clothing and business and are proud to be included."
A UK-based creative team, Rebecca & Mike, was commissioned to create the display of mascot costumes from iconic U.S. brands including GEICO. The team said, "More than any other form of workwear, mascots are at the heart of commercial success, marketing and branding. We like the way that mascot suits immerse the worker, creating a totally fictional role for them to play out. Our hope is to make visitors think of workwear in an imaginative way, but also simply to give them something unexpected to smile about."
The exhibition, which marks the launch of a new MFA program at Parsons, also includes iconic designs by Donna Karan, Savile Row's Norton & Sons in collaboration with Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, and several film installations. For more information, visit www.newschool.edu.
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 11 million private passenger customers and insures more than 18 million vehicles (auto & cycle).
GEICO's online service center helps policyholders take care of policy sales, policy changes, claims reporting and to print insurance ID cards.
GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for boats, life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.
For more information, go to www.geico.com.
