The Gecko From GEICO
Jake Wood is a British actor who gave life to the gecko in GEICO commercials. Back home, Jake is well-known for participating in EastEnders, a soap opera. He did the gecko’s voice for over ten years and earned $3 million until he was dismissed.
The actor announced the sad news on his Twitter account. He claimed to have been dismissed because he didn’t want to take a pay cut. In recent years, he has stepped out from the acting industry to do some charity. Jake was raising money to fund dementia research.
The Dell Dude
Born in Tennessee, Benjamin Curtis used to be a skilled magician before switching to acting. He is known as the Dell Dude, and he will always be remembered for his catchphrase, “Dude, you’re getting a Dell.” The company hired Benjamin even though they were looking for a younger actor.
The ad was a great success for both Dell and Benjamin. The actor signed a contract with the company for $50,000. Unfortunately, the contract ended in 2003 after he was arrested for drug possession. Benjamin couldn’t find major roles since then, but he participated in the show What Would You Do?.
Little Mikey From Life Cereal
John Gilchrist Jr. plays Little Mikey in the Life Cereal commercial. In the ad, the little kid is persuaded by his two brothers to have a taste of Life cereal, which in the end, he likes. The brothers in the ad are his brothers in real life. John has six brothers, two of them are Michael and Tommy, with whom he shot the ad.
The Life Cereal commercial was a success back in those days. John was just a little kid with a $10 million salary. Nowadays, John works as a sales director for MSG Network. He recently confessed that he doesn’t remember filming the Life Cereal commercials, since he was a little kid.
Captain Obvious From Hotels.com
Actor Brandon Moynihan is known as Captain Obvious, a character that Hotels.com created and had a positive impact on every ad campaign. In the ad, the character cheeringly explains concepts that are already self-explanatory. Moynihan’s first ad was in 2014, and he still holds the Captain Obvious role.
After so many years of playing Captain Obvious, the pay is quite rewarding. Moynihan’s estimated annual salary is $180,000, only from Hotels.com. As clearly seen, the actor has had a great impact on TV commercials. So much so that in the industry, he even goes by the name of the character.
“Where’s The Beef?” Lady From Wendy’s
Clara Peller wanted to be an actress and become famous. And the day finally came, as she was an 83-year-old woman when fame knocked on her door. Better late than never, they say. She participated in a commercial for Wendy’s, which was a complete success.
In the commercial, Clara enters a fast-food restaurant, approaches the counter, and asks, “Where’s the beef?” while looking at a burger. Clara became a sensation, and she was earning $500,000 annually. Unfortunately, Clara passed away two years later.
Lil’ Sweet From Dr. Pepper
Back in 2002, Justin Guarini made a good impression in American Idol. Unfortunately, he came second in the competition. But this has never stopped Justin from doing what he loves since he has never been unemployed ever since the show. In 2015, he became Lil’ Sweet.
Dr. Pepper chose Justin to be the face of the commercial that advertised a new diet soda. Probably it wasn’t Justin’s dream job, but it earned him $200,000 for wearing a red wig and using a sweet tone to convince viewers to try the beverage.
The Dr. Pepper Girl In The 60s
Born in LA, Donna Loren is widely known for having one of the best voices of all time. She signed her first contract with Pepsi. Donna kept appearing in commercials, even after getting several roles both as an actress and singer.
When she was a teen, Donna modeled for a wide variety of products, such as makeup, dental care, and hats. Apart from appearing in Pepsi ads, the singer also worked for Simplicity Pattern Company in a memorable ad, “If I Can Sew, You Can Sew.”
The Little Girl From Pepsi
There is no doubt that Pepsi’s commercials are the best ones in the ads industry. Hallie Eisenberg was not famous when she participated in the best ad of the 90s, but she made a great impression.
The little 6-year-old girl was making millions, as she earned $1 million for her role in Pepsi’s ads. Hallie’s big brother is Jesse Eisenberg, who starred in Zombieland, Now You See Me, and many other successful films.
The Improviser From Sonic
T.J. Jagodowski is an actor who rocks improvisations. The Chicago comedian is so good at improvising that Sonic employed him to be the face of the company’s ads. Peter Grosz and he improvise most of their lines in Sonic’s commercials.
The improviser is believed to have earned $300,000 on Sonic’s commercials. He had such a significant impact in the ad industry that he later got roles in Get Hard, Stranger than Fiction, and many other movies. Jagodowski also appeared in Prison Break.
The Umbrella Girl From Cingular Wireless
Born in Armenia, Angela Sarafyan jumped into fame when she got the role of the Umbrella Girl in the Cingular Wireless ads. The company was later purchased and changed its name to AT&T. Thanks to the commercials, the actress got several roles in well-known shows like Criminal Minds, Westworld and The Mentalist.
Angela has artist roots —her mom is a painter and her dad is an actor. The family moved to America when Angela was only four years old. You can also spot the actress on Netflix Official Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, a film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy.
The Most Interesting Man In The World From Dos Equis
Jonathan Goldsmith is the actor who participated in the commercials of the beer company Dos Equis. He is well-known as the Most Interesting Man In The World. The actor has a deep interest in Western films, as he appeared in 25 films in the Western.
Jonathan’s participation in the commercials made such a great impact that Dos Equis sales increased by 15%. After too many years of dedicating his life to acting, he finally quit and became a marketing specialist. He later returned to Hollywood thanks to Astral Tequila, the company that hired him to be the face of their commercials.
The AT&T Woman
Milana Vayntrub is an actress and comedian who plays Lily Adams in AT&T commercials. Milana was paid $500,000, a high sum of money for a commercial actor. Apart from being the AT&T woman, she participated in Let’s Talk About Something More Interesting, a web series.
The actress got her first role in a Barbie commercial when she was five years old. Getting the job was a relief for her family, as they were refugees and were struggling with money income. Milana voiced Squirrel Girl and dabbled in the MCU.
The Guy From Trivago
Tim Williams is a German actor who appeared in Trivago commercials. He was born in Texas and raised in Germany. He had several roles in Germany, both in TV and movies, as he speaks fluent German. Williams attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.
The actor appeared in movies like Valkyrie, Ninja Assassin, and Labyrinth of Lies. He also participated in the TV show The Sopranos. Unfortunately, William’s acting career has drastically dropped since he got a DUI, a case that is still pending a court decision.
The Slim Jim Guy
Demetri Goritsas is an actor who appeared in several films and shows, but it can’t be denied that he is better known for his role in a Slim Jim commercial. Demetri was born in America, raised in British Columbia, and studied at the Royal School of Speech and Drama. Apart from being an actor, he also narrates documentaries.
Demetri has dedicated his acting life to dramas and thrillers; he appeared in several films, such as X-Men First Class, Saving Private Ryan, and The Bourne Identity. He also appeared in shows like Episodes and The Alienist.
The Man Your Man Could Smell Like From Old Spice
Isaiah Mustafa was a football player who played for the Raiders and the Oilers, among others, back in the 90s. After a decade of playing sports, he switched to acting. Isaiah appeared in an Old Spice commercial and in movies such as Horrible Bosses and It Chapter Two.
Having two careers wasn’t enough for Isaiah, as he later became a businessman and opened a restaurant in Los Angeles called Jo Jo’s Barbecue. The actor had a long-term relationship with Catherine Perry, also known as wrestler Lana, but they broke up.
InVinceable
Vince Offer is not only the owner of ShamWow, but also the actor, writer, and producer of the company’s commercials. The Underground Comedy Movie, a 1999 film, was his first role in the filming industry.
Vince also owns other kitchen products, such as Slap Chop, Schticky, and Crank Chop. He is both the creator and the performer of those products' campaign ads. Vince once worked for Quicky Grass but just as an actor, since he doesn’t own the product.
The T-Mobile Girl
T-Mobile employed Carly Foulkes for four years, and she became well-known for being the T-Mobile girl wearing pink clothes. Don’t get the company wrong; there’s a good reason for Carly to use a specific color in her outfits.
T-Mobile owns the trademark color that Carly wears in her clothes for all ads. After all, the company planned a marketing strategy from a magenta color. Even though Carly is not currently working for the tech company, the actress has made appearances at several events.
The Peloton Girl
Monica Ruiz starred in a TV commercial for Peloton bikes in 2019. The ad had a huge impact on the world, but not quite as expected... The product itself was the last thing people paid attention to since the ad was highly criticized for being sexist. Oprah Mag stated that “the video diary is seen as a way for Mr. Man of the House to ensure Wifey doesn’t get plumpy.”
Even though Monica earned a reputation for being anti-feminist, she made a good deal out of such a scandal. The actress was paid $89 per hour, a high sum considering the $1 billion loss Peloton had. “Honestly, I think it was just my face. My eyebrows looked worried I guess. People were like, ‘You look scared.’,” said Monica in a Deadline interview.
The Toyota Girl
Laurel Coppock is well-known for her role in the Toyota ads. The actress played Jan, the cheering employee, and she was paid $1 million. Apart from being the Toyota girl, Laurel appeared in several shows, such as The Office, Modern Family, and Hot in Cleveland.
Laurel studied acting and improv comedy. She wrote and starred in the movie Comedy Jam, one of her most significant accomplishments. Crazy, Stupid, Love was another great success in Laurel’s acting career, as the movie made around $84 million.
The Voice-over Lady From Target
Maria Bamford is an actress employed by Target to be the voice-over of the company’s commercials. Maria first started as a comedian and a stand-up artist. She appeared in movies like Lucky Numbers and Hell & Back. At some point in her career, Target knocked on her door.
Maria became the voice of Target, as well as CatDog, American Dad!, Adventure Time, and others. In 2016, Netflix released a documentary about Maria’s life and how she achieved fame. In the documentary, Maria opens up about her mental health.
The Orbit Gum Girl
Farris Patton persuaded everybody with her big and beautiful smile to try Orbit gum. The gum company paid the actress $500,000. She also appeared in Little Hercules, The Playbook, Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, among others. The actress was also into the modeling industry.
Farris was a valuable asset for Orbit, as she was employed for several years. However, the company has recently re-evaluated its marketing strategy and changed all plans, including Farris’s participation in commercials. Now the gum company employs a comedian for its ads.
Flo From Progressive Insurance
Stephanie Courtney plays Flo in Progressive Insurance ads, a lively character. The job has made Stephanie earn $8 million. The actress has participated in more than one hundred commercials, but everybody remembers her for her memorable role in Progressive Insurance.
Stephanie has participated in many films, like The Heartbreak Kids, Girlfriend’s Day, Fred, and Blades of Glory. She also got a role in Mad Men, Caveman, and The Goldbergs. Before becoming a famous commercial actress, Stephanie worked as a busgirl to earn some additional money.
The Human PC Guy From Apple
John Hodgman is the actor that played the Human PC guy in the Apple ad campaign. The ad was so successful that Hodgman’s contract was worth $3 million. Apart from being well-known for working for Apple, he wrote for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Hodgman graduated from Yale. He used to be an agent before diving into the writing world. In 2018 he wrote Vacationland, a novel that won the Thurber Prize. However, he didn’t leave acting behind, as he participated in Red Oaks in 2016.
The Guy From 7 Up
Orlando Jones has worked for 7 Up for four years. The role was a complete success and earned Orlando $500,000. He also participated in the sketch comedy series MADtv, and he became a screenwriter for the comedy A Different World. 7 Up employed him for his incredible talent.
Orlando co-produced The Sinbad Show and appeared in Sour Grape, Woo, Office Space, among others. The actor was also in many shows, like Law & Order, American Gods, The Good Lord Bird, and Room 104.
Kevin Butler from PS3
Kevin Butler is a fictional character created by Sonic and played by Jerry Lambert. The PS3 campaign featured sayings like “Long Live Play” and “It Only Does Everything.” In the ad, Kevin Butler was a Sony VP responsible for replying to fan mail.
Deutsch/LA is the ad agency that came up with Kevin Butler’s idea. They made a funny, memorable character and wrote his speech. Kevin Butler did graduate from University, and he even obtained a Master’s in Being the Coolest Guy Ever.
The It’s Not That Complicated Guy From AT&T
Beck Bennet didn’t discover his passion for acting until he got a role in a hometown theater for children. The actor is well-known not only for his hilarious appearances in Saturday Night Live but also for his participation in AT&T ads as the “It’s Not That Complicated” dude.
Bennet did sketch videos with Good Neighbor and participated in Theatre of Life, which were endorsed by celebrities such as Stephen Spielberg and Louis C.K. These were the key to getting into SNL in 2015.
Mr. Mayhem From Allstate
Allstate created a funny character as a result of a creative marketing strategy. Dean Winters played Mr. Mayhem and is paid almost $5,000 each time the commercial airs on primetime. Winters has appeared in many shows like HBO’s drama Oz.
Winters has been in the acting industry since 1997. You can spot the actor in Law & Order SVU, Battle Creek, Rescue Me, and many other TV shows. One of his most important roles after Mr. Mayhem is The Vulture, a character from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The Maytag Man
Colin Ferguson is the actor behind The Maytag Man, which earned him $1 million. Born in Canada, Colin speaks English and French. He played Sheriff Carter on the series Eureka, and Lewis on Then Came You.
The actor has played the Maytag Man since 2014, but he also had other significant roles during his career. He appeared in The Vampire Diaries and many Lifetime Christmas films. Apart from being an actor, he is also a director and producer.
Verizon’s Can You Hear Me Now? Guy
Paul Marcelli is probably the highest-paid actor in the commercial industry. He was the face of Verizon for ten years, from 2001 to 2011. The five words “Can you hear me now?” earned him $9 million. After a decade of success, the actor dropped Verizon and was employed by Sprint.
Marcelli found himself working for Verizon’s competition after ten years of being known as the Test Man. The actor said in an interview that he was glad he switched to another company, as he wanted to try other roles in his career.