# Compare the Meerkat

> A TV meerkat became a book author and reached a reported million toy recipients.

- Owner: Comparethemarket.com (BGL Group)
- Kind: Campaign
- Sector: Finance
- Seed date: 2009-01-05
- Milestone date: 2012-10-25
- Date basis: Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.
- Spread Score: 45 (Notable, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Mascot persona, Scarcity drop, Platform jump, Political adoption

## Summary

Paid TV ads sent viewers to a fictional meerkat comparison site. Fans followed Aleksandr on social media and bought his memoir. The brand turned toy demand into an insurance reward.

## Timeline

- 2009-01-05 — Comparethemarket.com / VCCP (TV) — Comparethemarket.com launched Aleksandr's TV campaign alongside comparethemeerkat.com.
- 2009-02-10 — MoneySavingExpert forum users (Open web) — Forum users discussed the meerkat ads while questioning the comparison site's insurance choices.
- 2009-05-25 — Matt Cornock (Open web) — Cornock posted photos of his meerkat ornament and toy after hearing visitors quote the ads at London Zoo.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/compare-the-meerkat

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Compare the Meerkat.” Case HIS-01496. Spread Score v1.3: 45/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01496