The Surprise Connection Between Flo From Progressive and Jon Hamm

Weeeeelll…not exactly! They’re TV commercial dating! Although, it is really fun watching Jon Hammon the offensive, trying to capture Flo’s wandering heart on dinner dates with her insurance crew! There’s just something about that cunning Jon Hamm. Known to many as Don Draper, his character from Mad Men. Love him or hate him, there are many ways this character captivated us during Mad Men’s seven seasons that stretched from 2007 to 2015. Even though the show may be long gone, there’s no denying it’s a TV franchise with staying power. 

Hamm, a Missouri-born actor who has won both Emmys and Golden Globes, has been featured in several movies and TV shows since Mad Men wrapped up. These include The Town, Minions, Baby Driver, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But lately, there’s one place where you’ve likely seen him more than any other.

Yes, I’m talking about commercials for Progressive insurance. 

It’s common for famous actors to pick up advertising gigs when they’re in between TV shows or movies. Some of the most famous examples of celebrity commercial campaigns (also called endorsements) include Rihanna for CoverGirl, Jennifer Aniston for Smart Water, and Jamie Lee Curtis for Activia….I could go on and on.

Jon Hamm’s rendezvous with Progressive Insurance began in May of 2022. In a hilariously zany storyline, he played himself and served as a love interest for Flo. Flo, of course, being Progressive’s famous spokeswoman for many years.

The commercials that Jon Hamm appeared in for Progressive went something like this:

• Old Flame: where Hamm drives up to Flo talking with her friends and claims to recognize her from a “blind date” from “many years ago.” The two set up a dinner date. The catch is that while Hamm’s character wants it to be romantic, Flo is convinced that the two are just meeting up so she can teach him about the possible savings with Progressive. 
• Table for Two: Hamm, Flo, and many other Progressive employees meet for a dinner “date.” Hamm continues his romantic advances, but Flo is still focused on Progressive
• Bundle Song/hand: in these short commercials, the two characters stare into each other’s eyes. As viewers, we see Flo singing a Progressive jingle in her head, and Hamm is wondering whether or not it’s the right moment to reach for her hand.
• Jamie’s Advice: in this video, Jamie, another Progressive employee, gives Hamm advice for his date with Flo. 
• Hammergency: Hamm stages a leak in his home to find an excuse to have Flo visit. When she shows up and realizes that the scene was faked, Flo tells Hamm that she can’t pursue things with him because she’s “already in love with insurance.” 

This stint with Progressive isn’t the first time Jon Hamm has used his talent in the ad world. In 2010, Jon Hamm became Mercedes-Benz’s official voiceover actor. In the 2010s as well, he appeared in ads for tax preparers H&R Block. More recently, he appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for AppleTV+. 

In the internet age, it’s hard for companies to create a captivating advertising character or mascot that is memorable and noteworthy. Not only does it take the right idea, but it also takes the right voice actor (or actor) to pull it off. Some of the most famous advertising campaign characters in recent memory include: 

• The Geico gecko, was initially voiced by Kelsey Grammar but now features English comic Jake Wood as its voice actor
• Mr. Peanut (he’s been around since the early 1900s but has featured the voice acting talents of Keith Ferguson since 2020) 
• The Kool-Aid Man, who is famous for his “oh yeah!” catchphrase and has been voiced by several different voice actors throughout the years, including Seth McFarlane
• Mucinex’s Mr. Mucus is voiced by funny-man actor and frequent voice actor Jason Mantzoukas. 

Flo, unlike the characters above, is a human mascot & spokeswoman. She has been featured in more than 100 ads for Progressive Insurance since her creation in 2008. Flo has gained a cult following online for her bubbly personality and retro-inspired look. Actress Stephanie Courtney, who portrays Flo, has openly referenced the over-eagerness “schtick” that her character puts forth. 

No matter which words you use to describe Flo (and ones like “sweet,” “naive,” and even “off-putting” wouldn’t be totally off-base), you can’t deny that she’s an icon. 

If this article seems random to you so far, don’t worry. I’m about to tie it all together. 

If you thought that Jon Hamm and Flo had great chemistry, then it probably won’t surprise you to know that this isn’t the first time that they two have appeared on screen. 

Stephanie Courtney was actually in five total episodes of Mad Men. A minor character, Marge, is a switchboard operator at Sterling Cooper, the advertising agency that the TV show is based around. 

There are some things that the success of this bizarre-yet-endearing advertising campaign tells us. One is that we still really love Jon Hamm and Mad Men. Two is that when it comes to advertising, companies' decisions still matter. 

True, audiences have become more discerning. But there is still a lot of potential to make something great that resonates with viewers and has them laughing and following along. Often, it’s just a matter of the right casting.

Maria Pendolino is an award-winning voice actor and writer from Buffalo, New York. Her voiceover performances have been heard in TV and radio commercials, documentaries, cartoons, video games, and more. She’s passionate about pop culture, advertising, theatre, comedy, and music. You can follow the antics of her four tuxedo rescue cats on Instagram.