Yes, you're correct. When they first introduced him, he had a very different accent. I don't think it was out of condescension that they chose a different voice. In my opinion, the current one is just more memorable (which is ironic, given the topic of this particular message).

Personally, I like the Geico gecko commercials, and I understand why they are so successful. It's pretty ingenious to create a friendly, likable spokes, um, person that appeals to such a wide demographic, kids included (hey, let's prime our future customers so that they remember us first when it's time for them to get out on the road), all while appearing very state-of-the-art with the nifty computer animation. That's bloody brilliant marketing, if you ask me.

I myself was not pleased with Geico's service, so although I find the ads entertaining, I won't be persuaded by them again.