# When was the first go compare advert > When did the first Go Compare advert air? Learn about the 2009 debut of Gio Compario, the campaign's history, and GoCompare founder Hayley Parsons. **Published:** 2023-01-10 **Updated:** 2026-06-10 **Category:** ADVERT_PEOPLE **Author:** Rafael Tuñón **Canonical URL:** https://ukfile.co.uk/when-was-the-first-go-compare-advert/ ## Article **Advertising is a key element in marketing.** The history of advertising and its evolution has been an interesting journey. **The Go Compare ads** are among the most memorable ones. This article will explore **when the first Go Compare advert was aired**. **The first Go Compare advert was released on 19 August 2009.** It was a television advertising campaign and featured the mascot Gio Compario, portrayed by Welsh opera tenor Wynne Evans. The campaign became one of the most recognisable advertising campaigns of its era. The campaign is known for its catchphrase "Go Compare!", which has been adopted into popular culture. Gio Compario has continued to front Go Compare's advertising well beyond those early years, remaining a fixture of British TV commercials to this day. The character sings a jingle set to the tune of the classic song *Over There*, and typically appears out of nowhere to help people compare insurance. The campaign has been seen as a success due to its memorable catchphrase and its ability to engage the audience and create a sense of fun. It has helped to increase brand awareness and awareness of the company's services, contributing to significant growth for the business. ## Original GoCompare Song Composer **The original Go Compare jingle is one of the most recognisable in British advertising.** Set to the tune of the American classic *Over There*, the song was adapted to become the ear-worm that has been heard by millions across the UK. The music has helped to create an immediately identifiable brand for Go Compare and has become part of popular culture — so much so that the adverts were at one point voted among the most irritating on British television, which paradoxically only added to their fame. **The jingle's combination of operatic delivery and a simple, repeated message is a classic example of how music can drive brand recall.** Wynne Evans, the Welsh opera tenor behind Gio Compario, has spoken publicly about how the role transformed his public profile. His work on the campaign is widely cited as a case study in effective audio branding. ## Who Invented GoCompare? **GoCompare was founded in 2006 by Hayley Parsons, a Welsh insurance entrepreneur.** Hayley wanted to revolutionise the insurance industry by creating a comparison website that would make buying insurance easier and more efficient. She founded Go Compare in November 2006, and it quickly became a leader in the comparison website industry. Go Compare has since grown to become one of the most popular comparison websites in the UK, helping customers save time and money on their insurance needs. Go Compare's success is largely due to Hayley's vision and leadership. She created a user-friendly website that allows customers to quickly and easily compare insurance policies from different providers. After eight years, she sold the business, which was valued at around £190 million at the time. Hayley's contribution has been widely recognised, including by the Crown — she was awarded an **OBE** for her services to the insurance industry. (Earlier versions of this article incorrectly stated she received an MBE.) Hayley Parsons is the visionary behind Go Compare and is credited with helping to reshape how British consumers shop for insurance and other financial products. ## Go Compare's Rebrand Over the years, the company has refined its branding. Originally launched as **gocompare.com**, the business has traded more recently as **Go.Compare** — a subtle evolution intended to present a cleaner, more modern identity while keeping the brand consumers already recognise. The core service and website address remain the same; the change is primarily a presentational one. You can find the current comparison service at [go.compare.com](https://go.compare.com). --- **The Go Compare adverts that many of us know and love first made their debut in 2009. Since then, their popularity has endured, with their catchy jingle now a staple of British advertising.** The adverts have helped to make Go Compare a household name, and have been credited for their contribution to the company's growth and success. The adverts have come a long way since their humble beginnings in 2009, and it is quite remarkable how far they have come in such a short space of time. **The Go Compare advert made its debut in 2009 and has since become a staple of British advertising, helping to propel the company to success.** It has come a long way since its inception, with Gio Compario continuing to evolve through new adventures and celebrity appearances over the years. The first ever **Go Compare** advert aired in August 2009, featuring the iconic operatic character Gio Compario, played by Welsh tenor Wynne Evans. Since then, the brand has continued to produce memorable and humorous adverts, with Gio Compario at the centre of them all. The commercials have been watched and enjoyed by millions of people, and the character has become a genuine cult figure in British advertising.