Progressive Insurance has done comedic, character-driven advertising for years, with longtime spokeswoman Flo becoming a bona fide icon. But for young homeowners turning into their parents, another Progressive character—Dr. Rick—is the preferred spokesman du jour.

Played by actor Bill Glass, the character first appeared in a 90-second ad in 2017 from agency Arnold Worldwide, where he led a group therapy session for young people who were suddenly talking like their fathers after buying their homes.

“Progressive can’t save you from becoming your parents,” said the wry voiceover at the end, “but we can save you money when you bundle home and auto.”

The character has been a mainstay in Progressive advertising ever since. And with Arnold’s help, the company is ramping up its Dr. Rick activities this summer with a number of firsts for the character and brand.

Chief among these was a four-minute sponsored segment on “Good Morning America” on July 1, in which Dr. Rick chatted with ABC meteorologist Ginger Zee about how to avoid social miscues at Fourth of July gatherings.

Remi Kent, chief marketing officer at Progressive, said the company tries to use the character to reach consumers through different touchpoints and was thrilled with how the segment turned out.

Progressive’s characters are often played by improv actors, “which gives us the opportunity to not always have them be so scripted and stoic, but to respond in real time,” she said. “It continues to humanize the character to have him more in people’s real lives, talking about real topics.”

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