Who hasn't heard of Flo? The quirky front-lady for Progressive Insurance is making a name with viewers, and she's making money for Progressive.

Think about it. Who enjoys buying insurance? After all, how much do you really need? What bells and whistles should you add? Flo knows. And she'll serve it up with a smile.

And she has an almost cult-like following. Flo has an unofficial fan site, hundreds of message-boards overflowing with adoring comments, Facebook postings of customers dressed up in "Flo-flair" and even her very own Wikipedia entry.

But it doesn't stop there. Progressive has experienced a 12% jump in the number of policies purchased and has enjoyed a 17% jump in brand recognition.

Flo helps Progressive Insurance seem helpful, approachable... and a little fun in an industry known for being just the opposite. The lesson for us is that people like doing business with people they like.

"You have to do what others won't to achieve what others don't."

Les Brown