Meerkat finds marketing “simples”

Aleksandr Orlov may not be a name that rings any bells. But mention “comparethemeerkat.com” and you’ll realise who I’m talking about.

The furry star of comparethemarket.com’s TV adverts is about to become one of the most sought after Christmas presents of this year.

It appears that 5,000 talking soft toys are being made especially for sale in Harrods.

Demand for these toys is already outstripping demand - with Harrods having closed the reservation list already. It seems that the recommended price of £19.95 may be much higher by the time Aleksandr makes it to ebay!

The success of Comparethemarket.com’s “Comparethemeerkat” campaign, has proved to be very popular. It has led to increased market share, website traffic and sales for the company.

Having seen the success of this character-led campaign the competition is now trying to get in on the act. GoCompare’s have created their own character-led campaign starring the opera-singing Gio Compario, whilst moneysupermarket, have enlisted the help of a well-known personality from Dragon’s Den - Peter Jones.

It’s unlikely that either of these will match Aleksandr’s 500,000 Facebook fans though! Who would have thought a meerkat would make such a marketing star?