Comparethemarket pulls its 'simples' adverts featuring Russian meerkats Aleksandr and Sergei


Comparethemarket pulls its ‘simples’ adverts featuring Russian billionaire meerkat Aleksandr Orlov so they don’t appear during TV news after Ukraine invasion

  • Compare the Market says it pulled its meerkat adverts during periods of TV news
  • It says the ‘review’ of its advertising is in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
  • The marketing campaign features two Russian meerkats, Aleksandr and Sergei
  • Advert series has been successful, pushing firm to top of comparison market 


A popular advertising campaign featuring Russian meerkats is to be pulled from TV news sections in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

For 13 years British TV viewers have enjoyed the adventures of Russian billionaire meerkat Aleksandr Orlov and his tech-wizard sidekick Sergei. 

So successful have the adverts been that they have catapulted Compared the Market to the top of the UK’s comparison site market and even sparked a petition aiming to get Aleksandr’s ‘simples’ catchphrase into the English dictionary. 

But Compare the Market says it will now stop the adverts from appearing during TV news periods and content involving the Ukraine conflict.  

A spokesperson for the company, which is owned by the Peterborough-based financial services firm BGL, told the Guardian: ‘The Comparethemarket meerkats are fictional characters.

‘They have no association with Russia and the current situation. We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.’

CGI characters Aleksandr and Orlov first graced British TV screens in 2009. At first the marketing campaign featured around eccentric Russian billionaire Aleksandr and his website fictional website Compare The Meerkat.

For 13 years British TV viewers have enjoyed the adventures of Russian billionaire meerkat Aleksandr Orlov and his tech-wizard sidekick Sergei

For 13 years British TV viewers have enjoyed the adventures of Russian billionaire meerkat Aleksandr Orlov and his tech-wizard sidekick Sergei

Compare the Market's Russian meerkats advertising series is to be pulled from TV news sections in the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Compare the Market’s Russian meerkats advertising series is to be pulled from TV news sections in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine 

But Compare the Market says it will now stop the adverts from appearing during TV news periods and content involving the Ukraine conflict.

But Compare the Market says it will now stop the adverts from appearing during TV news periods and content involving the Ukraine conflict.

He and his tech-support Sergei would get into arguments about his website and the real life Compare the Market.

At the end, once the confusion had ended, Aleksandr would sign off with his catchphrase ‘Simples’. 

The advertising series was an instant success, catapulting little-known Compare The Market from the 16th most visited insurance website to the fourth within a year.

It also became part of popular culture, featuring in comedy series The Inbetweeners and later doing tie-ups with long-running ITV soap Coronation Street – which it sponsored for eight years.

The advertising series later expanded with new characters, including Maiya, Yakov, Vassily and Bogdan, as well as the most recent permanent edition, the ‘meerpup’ Oleg.

It also sparked merchandise, with Compare The Meerkat giving away Aleksandr and Sergei stuffed dolls to those who bought insurance through the site.  

In 2010 Orlov’s “autobiography” was released, entitled ‘A Simples Life: The Life and Times of Aleksandr Orlov’.

The advertising series was an instant success, catapulting little-known Compare The Market from the 16th most visited insurance website to the fourth within a year

The advertising series was an instant success, catapulting little-known Compare The Market from the 16th most visited insurance website to the fourth within a year

It also sparked merchandise, with Compare The Meerkat giving away Aleksandr and Sergei stuffed dolls to those who bought insurance through the site

It also sparked merchandise, with Compare The Meerkat giving away Aleksandr and Sergei stuffed dolls to those who bought insurance through the site

Amazingly, the book generated more pre-orders than that of other books released at the same time including Tony Blair’s memoirs and the autobiographies of comedian turned activist Russell Brand, singer Cheryl Cole and Only Fools and Horses star David Jason.

But it was not without controversy. In 2009, The Guardian ran a column accusing the campaign of ‘racism’ due because of its ‘mocking’ of eastern European accents.

However, the advertising campaign survived and still continues on British screens today.

Advertisement

Leave a Reply