Flo is a fictional advertising character created by the Progressive Corporation as its primary spokesperson, depicted as an enthusiastic and knowledgeable insurance sales associate working at a fictional "Superstore" outlet.[1] Portrayed by American actress and comedian Stephanie Courtney since the character's debut in television and radio commercials in 2008, Flo is characterized by her perpetual optimism, quick wit, and name tag bearing her moniker, often delivering insurance information in a relatable, high-energy manner.[2][3]The campaign featuring Flo has been credited with transforming Progressive's public image and driving substantial business growth, evolving from an initial single commercial into a long-running series that includes holiday specials, interactive online content, and crossovers with other brand elements like the character Jamie.[4] By 2023, Flo had appeared in hundreds of ads, making her one of the most enduring and recognizable mascots in modern advertising history, with Progressive attributing increased market share and consumer familiarity directly to her presence.[5] While the character's unrelenting cheerfulness has drawn some criticism for perceived overexposure and irritation among viewers, no major controversies have marred the campaign, which continues to emphasize straightforward policy explanations over gimmicks.[3]
Technology and Brands
Health and Wellness Applications
The Flo app, developed by Flo Health, Inc., a company with Belarusian origins founded by brothers Dmitry and Yuri Gurski, was launched in 2015 as a mobile application for tracking menstrual cycles, ovulation, and pregnancy.[6][7] The app enables users to log symptoms such as mood changes, cramps, and basal body temperature, employing algorithmic predictions derived from aggregated, anonymized user data to forecast cycle phases and fertile windows.[8][9] By October 2025, Flo reported over 420 million total users worldwide, reflecting growth driven by its data-driven personalization rather than unsubstantiated marketing, though monthly active users vary across reports between 38 million and 75 million.[8][10][11]Core features include period prediction accuracy improving with consistent symptom logging, ovulation calculators identifying fertile days based on historical patterns, and pregnancy mode offering week-by-week tracking with evidence-based insights on fetal development and maternal health symptoms.[12][13] The app's predictive models rely on empirical data from millions of cycles, providing users with probabilistic estimates rather than guarantees, which has supported its adoption for natural family planning and early pregnancy detection.[14] App store metrics indicate high user satisfaction, with a 4.7-star rating from over 4.5 million reviews on Google Play and 4.8 stars from 1.7 million reviews on the Apple App Store as of late 2025.[13][15]Flo's premium subscription, introduced to expand beyond basic tracking, offers advanced fertility insights such as detailed cycle reports highlighting irregularities like short luteal phases, AI-generated personalized health recommendations, and access to expert video courses on topics including preconception optimization.[16][17] These features leverage machine learning trained on anonymized datasets to detect potential issues like polycystic ovary syndrome indicators through symptom correlations, though efficacy depends on data quality and user input accuracy.[14] Premium users receive enhanced predictive analytics, including probability-based fertility windows refined by factors like age and lifestyle logs, contributing to reported improvements in cycle understanding among subscribers.[16] Despite these tools' utility in self-monitoring, independent verification of long-term health outcomes remains limited, with reliance on user-reported data introducing potential biases.[18]
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
FLO, originally founded in 2009 as AddÉnergie Technologies Inc. in Quebec City, Canada, designs, manufactures, and operates electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and networks across North America.[19][20] The company has deployed over 100,000 charging stations, providing coast-to-coast coverage in the United States and Canada, extending to Alaska, with a network uptime exceeding 98% achieved consistently over multiple years.[19][21] This reliability stems from vertical integration, encompassing design, production, and maintenance, which enables rapid issue resolution and standardized uptime metrics focused on controllable factors like hardware and software performance.[22][23]Key hardware includes the FLO Ultra, a dual-port DC fast charger delivering up to 320 kW total power through dynamic sharing, capable of charging most EVs to 80% capacity in approximately 15 minutes.[24][25] Introduced with initial deployments in 2024, it features a rugged aluminum enclosure compliant with U.S. federal standards and integrates the EZLift system—a patent-pending motorized cable management mechanism that automates extension, retraction, and locking to reduce user strain from heavy cables and minimize trip hazards.[25][26] The EZLift, tested over 20,000 cycles for durability, enhances maintenance efficiency by preventing cable damage and enabling sensor-triggered retraction post-charging.[27][28]Recent expansions emphasize grid-compatible deployments and energy efficiency, as detailed in FLO's 2025 ESG report, which highlights sustainable manufacturing practices and the carbon intensity implications of grid-supplied electricity for chargers.[29] In 2024–2025, partnerships such as with Tim Hortons for up to 100 DC fast charger installations at Canadian sites by 2028 underscore efforts to scale public infrastructure while integrating features like smart power management to mitigate peak grid loads.[30] These developments prioritize empirical metrics, including 99.9% uptime in select regions like New York, to support broader EV adoption without disproportionate strain on electrical grids.[22][29]
Other Commercial Products
O Positiv's FLO is a dietary supplement line formulated to address premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, available in capsule and gummy formats. The product includes chasteberry extract (Vitex agnus-castus), vitamin B6, lemon balm, and dong quai, among other botanicals; meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials indicate chasteberry reduces overall PMS symptoms, with users over twice as likely to report improvement compared to placebo, while vitamin B6 at doses up to 100 mg daily has shown benefits for premenstrual depression and autonomic symptoms like dizziness.[31][32] Marketed for daily use targeting issues such as hormonal bloating, cramps, mood swings, and breakouts, capsules are positioned as sugar-free and costing under $1 per day, with gummies featuring pectin-based formulation; it holds average customer ratings of 4.4–4.7 across retailers like Target and Amazon based on hundreds of reviews.[33][34]Life-flo produces a range of natural self-care topicals and oils, including magnesium chloride solutions for muscle relaxation and organic rosehip seed oil rich in fatty acids and vitamin A for skinhydration. Sourced from elements like the Zechstein seabed for magnesium, the brand has offered these wellness-focused products for over 25 years, emphasizing preservative-free and hypoallergenic compositions without synthetic additives.[35] Available through major outlets like Amazon and Vitamin Shoppe, Life-flo items such as pure magnesium oil receive consistent 4.5-star ratings from thousands of users for efficacy in joint relief and sleep support.[36]
People
Musicians and Performers
Flo Rida (Tramar Lacel Dillard, born September 16, 1979) is an American rapper and singer known for club-oriented hip-hop tracks.[37] His debut single "Low" featuring T-Pain, released in 2007, topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks and established a then-record for digital download sales in the United States.[38] Flo Rida has sold over 80 million records worldwide, contributing to his status among top-selling rap artists through multiple platinum-certified singles like "Whistle" and "Wild Ones."[37]Flo is a British R&B girl group formed in 2019, comprising Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer.[39] Signed to Island Records, the trio gained initial attention with their 2022 debut single "Cardboard Box," followed by EPs The Lead (2022) and 3 of Us (2023).[40] Their first studio album, Access All Areas, released in November 2024, debuted in the top 10 on the UK Albums Chart, marking a significant achievement for a British R&B girl group.[41] That year, they issued the single "The Mood" in collaboration with producer Kaytranada.[42]Flo served as the stage persona for Mark Volman (1948–2025), who alongside Howard Kaylan formed the comedy rock duo Flo & Eddie in the 1970s after rising to fame with The Turtles' 1967 hit "Happy Together."[43] The pair, adopting pseudonyms due to contractual issues, contributed vocals to Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and released albums blending rock, humor, and session work for artists including Bruce Springsteen.[44] Volman, known for his energetic stage presence, died on September 5, 2025, in Nashville.[43]
Actors and Public Personalities
Stephanie Courtney has portrayed Flo, the enthusiastic sales representative in Progressive Insurance advertisements, since the character's debut in early 2008.[5] The campaign, featuring over 215 commercials by February 2025, contributed to Progressive becoming the second-largest auto insurer in the United States by market share.[45] Courtney, a comedian with prior improv experience, ad-libbed elements of the character's quirky persona, which includes a name tag, apron, and retro hairstyle, enhancing its memorability in direct-to-consumer advertising metrics.[5][45]Polly Holliday played Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry, a sassy waitress, on the CBSsitcomAlice from 1976 to 1980, originating the character's catchphrase "Kiss my grits!" which entered popular lexicon through the show's 202 episodes.[46] Holliday received three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe win for the role in 1980.[47] The character spun off into the short-lived series Flo (1980–1981), where Holliday reprised the part across 29 episodes, depicting Castleberry's return to her Texas hometown to manage a diner.[46] Holliday, who died on September 10, 2025, at age 88, drew on her stage background for the portrayal, emphasizing Flo's brassy independence without relying on caricature.[48]
Athletes and Other Notables
Florence Griffith Joyner (December 21, 1959 – September 21, 1998), known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field sprinter who set the women's world records in the 100 meters (10.49 seconds) and 200 meters (21.34 seconds) during the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials and Seoul Olympics, respectively; these marks remain unbroken as of 2025.[49][50] At the 1988 Summer Olympics, she won gold medals in the 100 meters (10.54 seconds, Olympic record), 200 meters, and 4x100 meters relay, plus a silver in the 4x400 meters relay, becoming one of the most decorated sprinters in Olympic history.[51] She also earned a silver medal in the 200 meters at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and contributed to medals at the 1987 World Championships.[50]Flora Jean "Flo" Hyman (July 31, 1954 – January 24, 1986) was an American volleyball player who stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and played as an outside hitter, helping elevate the U.S. women's national team through the 1970s and 1980s.[52] She was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1977 and competed in the boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics before leading the U.S. to its first Olympic medal—a silver—in women's volleyball at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.[53] Hyman advanced professional volleyball by playing in Japan's top league from 1979 to 1986 with Daiei, where her performances drew large crowds and boosted the sport's visibility; she was posthumously inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1988.[52]Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903), often abbreviated as FLO in professional contexts, was an American landscape architect considered the founder of the profession in the United States, designing iconic public parks including New York City's Central Park (1858–1865, co-designed with Calvert Vaux) and the U.S. Capitol grounds (1874–1895).[54] His work emphasized naturalistic designs integrating urban spaces with landscapes for public health and recreation, influencing over 500 projects through his firm and the Olmsted Brothers successor; he also served as executive secretary of the U.S. Sanitary Commission during the Civil War, applying landscape principles to sanitation efforts.[54] Olmsted's writings, such as his 1865 reports on Southern plantations, provided early empirical insights into post-Civil War reconstruction based on direct observations.[55]
Places
Settlements
Flo is an unincorporated community in Leon County, Texas, located approximately 12 miles northwest of Centerville at the intersection of Farm Roads 1151 and 831 along Wheelock Creek. Historically known by alternate names including Kidd's Mill, Wheelock, Bethlehem, Oneta, New Hope, Odens, and Midway, it features a community water supply system serving local residents, though specific population figures are not documented in census records due to its small size.[56][57]In Norway, Flo is a small village in Stryn Municipality, Vestland county, situated on the northern shore of Oppstrynsvatn lake, roughly 18 kilometers southeast of the municipal center of Stryn. As a rural hamlet, it lacks independent population statistics but contributes to the broader Stryn area's approximate 7,100 residents.[58]In Germany, Floß is a market town (Markt) in the Neustadt an der Waldnaab district of Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, with a recorded population of 3,494 as of December 31, 2024. The town, first documented in historical records over 1,000 years ago, serves as an administrative center in a rural setting with a density of about 64 inhabitants per square kilometer.[59]
Natural Features and Regions
Typhoon Flo, also designated as 199019 or Typhoon Norming in the Philippines, formed in the western North Pacific on September 13, 1990, and dissipated on September 20, 1990, reaching a minimum central pressure of 890 hPa and maximum sustained winds of 120 knots (220 km/h).[60] The storm followed an erratic path, intensifying rapidly before striking Japan, where it caused significant destruction through heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges along its trajectory from the open ocean toward the Japanese archipelago.[61] Airborne microwave observations during its peak documented intense precipitation structures, highlighting the cyclone's mesoscale organization and environmental interactions conducive to rapid intensification.[62]Another Typhoon Flo, known as Typhoon Kadiang in the Philippines and designated 199320, emerged in October 1993, impacting the northern Philippines with erratic movement, heavy rainfall exceeding typical seasonal norms, flash floods, and mudflows across Central and Northern Luzon regions.[63] This minimal typhoon resulted in at least 126 fatalities and displaced 659,000 people, underscoring its role in altering local hydrological patterns through prolonged precipitation and runoff in vulnerable coastal and lowland areas.[64]Tropical Storm Flo of the 1948 Pacific typhoon season developed on August 20, 1948, peaking at 50 knots (93 km/h) sustained winds and 990 hPa pressure before making landfall and dissipating by August 23, primarily affecting South China with tropical rains and winds.[65] Its track originated in the northwestern Pacific basin, curving westward, consistent with prevailing steering currents of the era, and contributed to regional flooding without escalating to full typhoon status.[66] These named systems represent episodic natural disturbances rather than permanent landforms, with paths and intensities archived in international meteorological databases for analysis of Pacific cycloneclimatology.
Arts and Entertainment
Film and Television
Flo is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from March 24, 1980, to June 30, 1981.[67] A spin-off of the series Alice, it stars Polly Holliday as Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry, a sassy waitress who relocates from Phoenix, Arizona, back to her hometown of Cow Bayou, Texas, where she purchases and operates a diner called Flo's Yellow Rose.[67] The series depicts Flo's efforts to manage the diner while navigating family dynamics, including interactions with her mother, sister, and local characters, amid small-town challenges and humor centered on her brash personality.[68] It ran for two seasons, producing 29 episodes before cancellation.[68]
Fictional Characters
In the Carsfranchise, Flo is an anthropomorphic vehicle introduced in the 2006 Pixar film Cars, modeled as a turquoise 1957 General Motors Motorama show car who serves as the proprietor of Flo's V8 Café in the fictional town of Radiator Springs.[69] Voiced by Jenifer Lewis, she is depicted as Ramone's devoted wife and a key member of the town's ensemble, offering hospitality and contributing to community revival efforts amid the arrival of race car Lightning McQueen.[70] Her character recurs in sequels Cars 2 (2011) and Cars 3 (2017), maintaining her role as a sassy yet supportive figure in the Route 66-inspired setting.[71]Flo is also the central advertising character in Progressive Insurance commercials, debuting in 2008 as an enthusiastic, name-tag-wearing sales representative who promotes insurance bundles with a bubbly, relatable demeanor.[1] Portrayed consistently across television, radio, and digital campaigns, she interacts with customers in a stylized "Insurance Superstore" environment, emphasizing straightforward policy explanations and add-ons like bundling home and auto coverage.[1] The character's longevity stems from her scripted ad-libs and meme-worthy catchphrases, making her a staple in American advertising by the 2020s.In the Star Wars universe, FLO (designation WA-7) is a waitress droid operating at Dex's Diner on Coruscant, first appearing in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) where she serves Obi-Wan Kenobi during his investigation into an assassination attempt.[72] Nicknamed FLO or Wanda, this antique model exhibits sassy efficiency in managing orders and cleanup, reflecting the diner's greasy-spoon vibe amid galactic intrigue.[72]Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry is the brash, quick-witted waitress protagonist of the CBS sitcom Flo (1980–1981), a spin-off from Alice (1976–1985), originating from her role as a sassy server at Mel's Diner in Phoenix who relocates to her Texas hometown to manage a roadhouse.[67] Known for her "Kiss my grits" retorts and street-smart resilience, the character embodies Southern feistiness across 29 episodes, drawing from her earlier Alice appearances where she handled diner chaos with unfiltered banter.[48]In the Five Nights at Freddy's series, Flo is referenced as the implied mascot or owner associated with "Flo's Glossy Floss," a candy floss vendor sponsor in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator (2017), appearing in in-game commercials and pricing options ($1000 investment) within the pizzeria management mechanics.[73] This minor entity ties into the franchise's lore of branded attractions, though lacking deeper canonical backstory beyond promotional tie-ins.
Music Works
Theory of Flo is a studio album by Scottish electronic music producer Auntie Flo, released on November 6, 2015, by Huntleys + Palmers.[74] The album comprises 10 tracks that fuse house rhythms with global influences, including African and Asian musical elements, featuring guest vocalists such as Shingai on "So in Love" and Anbuley on "Su La".[75] Tracks like "Cape Malay Prayer" incorporate traditional Cape Malay influences, while "Dreamer" explores ambient textures; the record received praise for its innovative blend of world music and electronic production.[76]Flo-Flo is a musical comedy revue that premiered on Broadway at the Cort Theatre on December 20, 1917, with music composed by Silvio Hein and running for 220 performances until June 29, 1918.[77] Produced by John Cort, the show featured lighthearted sketches and songs, including "Goodbye Happy Days," reflecting the era's vaudeville-style entertainment.[77] Hein's score contributed to the production's success as one of his most notable stage works.[77]
Other Uses
Vehicles and Transportation
FLO Cycling is a manufacturer of carbon fiber bicycle wheels designed for enhanced aerodynamics and performance in road, triathlon, and gravel cycling applications.[78] Founded in 2010 by brothers Jon Thornham and Chris Thornham, the company originated from efforts to develop wheels that balance speed, stability, and crosswind handling through computational fluid dynamics modeling and wind tunnel verification.[79] Their direct-to-consumer model, established with a debut sale in 2012 that distributed 750 wheelsets to customers in 28 countries, emphasizes transparency in engineering data and consumer education on wheel performance metrics.[79][80]Key wheel models include the FLO 77 AS series, featuring a 76.6 mm rim depth, 21 mm internal width, and 28 mm external brake track width optimized for 700c clincher tires, which reduces drag while maintaining stability in gusty conditions.[81] The FLO DISC Carbon Clincher rear wheel prioritizes point-to-point speed for time trials and triathlons, with a full disc profile engineered for minimal rotational resistance.[82] For gravel terrain, the G650 model offers a 58.8 mm depth and 25 mm internal rim width, supporting tire sizes from 36 to 50 mm for improved compliance on rough surfaces without sacrificing aero efficiency.[83]In 2024, FLO Cycling released nine new products, expanding its lineup for diverse riding disciplines.[84] The company relaunched its in-house Factory Team for the 2025 season, managed directly by the family-operated business in Las Vegas, Nevada, to test and refine wheel technologies in competitive environments.[85] FLO allocates 1% of sales to initiatives like Bike For A Kid and tree-planting programs, tying product performance to broader cycling accessibility.[86] Independent reviews have noted the wheels' stiffness and braking efficacy with proprietary pads, though comparisons to competitors like HED highlight ongoing debates on relative aero gains from older versus updated designs.[87][88]
Miscellaneous References
FloWrestling operates as a subscription-based online platform dedicated to wrestling coverage, delivering live events, original programming, news, and analysis within the FloSports media network, which traces its origins to 2006.[89] The platform maintains comprehensive resources for collegiate wrestling, such as a 2025-26 NCAA Division I tournament tracker monitoring major competitions and virtual watch parties for championship sessions streamed on March 20-22, 2025.[90][91]In onomastics, Flo functions as a common English diminutive of the feminine given nameFlorence, which derives from the Latin Florentia, signifying "flourishing" or "prosperous" in reference to blooming or thriving growth.[92] It similarly abbreviates Flora, evoking the Roman mythological deity associated with flowers, vegetation, and seasonal renewal, whose name stems from the Latin flos meaning "flower."[93] These usages appear in linguistic records as informal shortenings prevalent in Anglophone cultures since at least the 19th century, often denoting endearment without altering the root etymological connotations of vitality and botanical abundance.[94]
Acronyms and Codes
Organizational Acronyms
Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), established in 1997 in Bonn, Germany, served as an umbrella association uniting national fair trade labeling organizations to harmonize standards for ethical sourcing and certification of products like coffee, tea, and cocoa. Its mission focused on developing verifiable criteria that guarantee producers in developing countries receive minimum fair prices, premiums for community investments, and protections against exploitative practices, with certification processes audited by independent bodies like FLOCERT. By 2004, FLO had certified over 500 producer organizations across 51 countries, enabling traceability from farm to consumer and emphasizing sustainable agriculture over charity-based aid. The organization transitioned to Fairtrade International in 2009 while retaining its core acronym-derived legacy in fair trade governance.Other uses of FLO as an organizational acronym include the Family Learning Organization, a U.S.-based entity promoting intergenerational education programs since the early 2000s, though it lacks the global scale of fair trade bodies.[95] Less prominent examples, such as university-specific groups like the Freshman Leadership Organization, denote internal programs rather than independent entities with defined missions.[96]
Technical and Scientific Codes
In computing, Flo refers to a parameterized streaming language designed for progressive stream processing, abstracting over dataflow operators and stream structures to enable formal definitions of properties like correctness and efficiency in data processing pipelines. This framework supports applications in real-time data analytics and scalable stream computations, with properties verified through semantic foundations that ensure progressiveevaluation without full materialization of intermediate results.[97]FLO denotes Forward Link Only, the air interface standard in Qualcomm's MediaFLO technology for unidirectional mobile broadcasting of audio, video, and IP data to portable devices such as smartphones.[98] Developed as an open standard recommended by the ITU and standardized by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA-1099), it operated on dedicated spectrum bands (e.g., 700 MHz in the US) to deliver multicast content with low latency, powering services like FLO TV from 2007 until its discontinuation in 2011 due to market shifts toward over-the-top streaming.[99][100]In blockchain and cryptocurrency systems, FLO serves as the ticker symbol for FlorinCoin, a scrypt-proof-of-work cryptocurrency launched on June 23, 2013, forked from Litecoin with enhancements for faster block times (40 seconds) and embedded metadata support for applications like decentralized naming.[101] It processes transactions at approximately 100 coins per block, emphasizing quick confirmations over Bitcoin's model, though its market activity has declined since peak adoption in 2013-2014.[102]MS-FLO (Mass Spectral Feature List Optimizer) is a bioinformatics software tool for refining peak tables and feature lists generated from mass spectrometry data, automating corrections for alignment errors, isotope deconvolution, and noise reduction to improve downstream metaboliteidentification in omics research.[103] Developed by the Fiehn Lab at UC Davis, it integrates with workflows in analytical chemistry and metabolomics, enhancing data quality for quantitative analysis without requiring manual intervention.[103]flo is a specialized programming language for generating flowcharts via typesetting, incorporating constructs like statements, conditionals (ifs), loops (whiles, repeats), and decision nodes to produce structured diagrams from declarative code.[104] Originating from a University of Waterloo technical report, it facilitates documentation of algorithms and control flows in software engineering, outputting to formats compatible with standard plotting tools for technical illustrations.[104]