“Some of the most powerful creative happens when the talent is germane to the idea as opposed to spots where celebrities can be rotated in to add star power,” says Alyson Griffin, State Farm’s VP of marketing. The objective for this year’s campaign is to “re-cement” the slogan in popular culture, she says.

The ad’s “to-be-continued extended cut” closes with a cliff-hanger—and a bit of a twist. Danny DeVito appears as part of a “script change,” taking over Arnold’s role as Agent State Farm. (Schwarzenegger and DeVito appeared together in the comedies Twins and Junior a generation ago. Here, the brand seized on long-standing rumors that the two actors might reunite on the big screen.)

The commercial was developed with HighDive, with integrated campaign support from OMD, Optimum Sports, The Marketing Arm, Infinity Marketing Team and Fleishman Hillard. 

This campaign included a teaser trailer with Schwarzenegger and Jake from State Farm breaking across social, digital and linear placements weeks ahead of the game. Arnie also plugged the commercial on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon., where Jason Momoa—also a Big Game ad star—congratulated Schwarzenegger on landing the role of Agent State Farm. TikTok singer/influencer Loren Gray amplified the message.

CLICK HERE to watch all of this year’s Super Bowl commercials. 

Keith Reinhard serves as chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide. In a career spanning more than half a century, he has worked as a writer, art director and creative group head, and held key roles in agency management.

Transcending the Mad Men paradigm, Reinhard has shaped consumer tastes and stoked the engines of media and commerce on a global scale.

He’s father to the Hamburglar, and along with his creative team birthed McDonald’s brand-defining “You Deserve a Break Today” campaigns in the 1970s, plus the unforgettable “Two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions, on a sesame seed bun” mantra woven into copy and jingles. “Just Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm Is There'” was his idea, too. Keith also worked on Volkswagen, Polaroid, Amtrak, Xerox, Mars and General Mills, to name just a few. On the business side, Reinhard helped merge Doyle Dane Bernbach and Needham Harper Worldwide into the DDB network, which he led as chairman and CEO for 16 years.

We spoke with Reinhard about the challenges plaguing the industry today, the importance of agency-client trust, his favorite campaigns and the return of his beloved Hamburglar.

Muse: What’s your take on the state of creativity today and the trust between an agency and client?

Keith Reinhard: I’m sure it varies from those clients who see their agencies only as interchangeable suppliers chosen for the lowest price, to clients who value their agencies as trusted partners. It was encouraging to see some examples of the latter on stage at the Clios this year. In the long term, the only clients that will value their agencies as long-term partners are clients who understand the value of long-term brand building. I doubt that such clients represent the majority of advertisers today. In part, that’s because we have failed to make a convincing case for the value of building brand loyalty over time, which has always been a brand’s best defense against price competition.

As for the state of creativity in general, the fragmentation of media channels makes it difficult to establish and maintain brand integrity and instead, encourages one-off messages hastily prepared on a low budget, subjected to instant A/B testing, and placed by algorithms as interrupters on every available social media channel. While that seems like a condition more conducive to mindless repetition of breathless product claims than to brand building, there are notable exceptions. One of my favorites is DDB’s award winning apology campaign for Skittles—a prime example of contemporary creativity at its best. The brilliant multi-channel idea is absolutely on-brand and true to Skittles idiosyncratic personality. During a “press conference” on Twitch and TikTok, a Skittles “communications director” apologizes individually to thousands of protesters for replacing the lime-flavored green Skittles with a green apple flavor thirteen years ago. He promises to restore the lime flavor, at least for a while. The social media campaign was augmented by other media including a huge sign in Times Square where Skittles apologized to individual tweets.

I’ve also been impressed by Sakara Life, the plant-based food delivery service founded by two young women in 2011 that is now a $150 million powerhouse. They’ve given their brand a clear purpose with a distinctive brand personality that connects with viewers with advice like “make love, not dinner.”

I believe the level of creativity will rise in the future as young creators and their clients begin to realize the difference between a click and an emotional connection, the difference between creating a buzz and creating a brand, the difference between a one-off stunt and an enduring brand story and the big difference between big data and a big idea.

As for the state of creativity in television, I didn’t see any Super Bowl commercials I wished I had done. But then again, I’m not the target audience. At least the Rabbit Hole commercial for Tubi used storytelling to get my attention, built suspense and then paid off with a promise of free movies. All without borrowing interest from a celebrity. That in itself was refreshing.

What were some agency/client trust/bonds you experienced in your career?

When Tom Morrill, State Farm’s chief marketing officer in the ’60s and ’70s, was asked if he’d ever consider a new agency, he said he would not. Instead, he said if he needed fresh thinking, he would ask us for new ideas or even new people. But he had no interest in going through a search process or acclimating a new agency to the insurance business that we, his trusted longtime agency partner, knew so well. Tom’s confidence in us laid the groundwork for a relationship that lasted for more than 60 years.

To shake things up in the Washington-Baltimore market, Fred Turner, CEO of McDonald’s, once granted us the freedom to try any new idea we wanted if we stayed within the budget and didn’t do anything illegal. Turner startled us by saying, “Don’t bother to show me storyboards. I trust you. Just show me the finished work.” This level of trust motivated us to work even harder to deliver a remarkable product, which we did. Fred liked it and ran it with success.

A strong bond of trust with Anheuser-Busch figured importantly in that great client supporting the offbeat, off brand “Wassup” campaign for Budweiser, which August Busch IV said brought more value to the brand than any other single idea in the brewery’s history. It won the Grand Prix in Cannes in 2000.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today and how can it be overcome?

It might be the lack of time. The time to think, time to shape an idea and let it grow, time to let it work in the marketplace, time to work together, time to care, time to rest and reflect. I have no idea how to overcome our obsession with speed.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your career?

By far the biggest challenge I faced was merging two creative agency networks into one in the mid-eighties. I was CEO of Needham Harper Worldwide but my idol was Bill Bernbach, who had revolutionized the industry when he founded Doyle Dane Bernbach in 1949. After Bill died in 1982, my dream was to combine his agency with Needham to establish a new global creative force built on Bill’s legacy. As part of the creation of Omnicom, we found a way to do this but as an observer wrote in the New York Times after our announcement, “Mergers are hell!” I understood what he meant as we started to put the agencies together. Turf battles had to be resolved in major markets, client conflicts had to be dealt with and differing systems had to be integrated. But thanks to the resolve of a top management team that shared a vision, we were able to create a common culture grounded in a shared belief that creativity is the most powerful force in business.

What’s something that exists now that you wish existed earlier in your career or you’re happy it didn’t exist earlier on?

Google could have helped us earlier. Back then, finding answers to questions took a lot more time.

On the other hand, I’m glad we didn’t have the science and technology that today claims to instantly determine an ad’s effectiveness. As Bill Bernbach said: “However much we would like advertising to be a science, the fact is that it is not. It is a subtle, ever-changing art, defying formularization, flowering on freshness and withering on imitation.” Today’s instant A/B testing makes it impossible for a good campaign to “wear in” and would almost certainly have killed Volkswagen’s game changing “Think Small” campaign which, when launched, was met by skepticism from both consumers and dealers.

What were some of your favorite campaigns to work on?

There are so many—Volkswagen, Polaroid, Amtrak, Xerox, Mars, General Mills. But I’ll highlight three.

McDonald’s was a great client. They understood the value of making emotional connections with their customers. In 1971, we created their first national advertising campaign by focusing on the McDonald’s experience instead of just their hamburgers. Our kick-off campaign, “You Deserve a Break Today,” encouraged people to take a little respite from their daily routines and enjoy the food, folks, and fun at McDonald’s. We followed the initial campaign with another customer focused effort, “You, you’re the one,” which also made it into the Madison Avenue Songbook. The Big Mac jingle, “Two all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce- cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed bun,” created by my team in the ’70s, is still remembered today. While I personally gave birth to the Hamburglar, working with the team to create McDonaldland, home of the Grimace and all the other characters, was truly a blast.

I also loved working on all the Anheuser-Busch brands starting with “Head for the Mountains” for Busch Beer and then all the work we did for Bud Light and Budweiser. As with McDonald’s, great advertising is only possible when you have great clients. Anheuser-Busch was one of the best. They proved that big time when they bought and supported the aforementioned “Wassup” campaign for Budweiser, a campaign that went viral before we knew what viral even meant and won the Gran Prix at Cannes in 2000.

State Farm was one of my favorites. In the ’70s, new research pointed out that State Farm’s most important competitive advantage was the fact that their agents had their offices in neighborhoods where people lived, in contrast to competitor companies who often housed their agents in big buildings in a business district. This insight led to our creating a long running campaign, “Just Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There.” We contracted Barry Manilow to write the tune to which we wrote three verses—one for car insurance, one for home insurance and another for life insurance. The jingle is no longer used but I’m pleased that “Jake from State Farm” is still using our tag line.

As the person behind the Hamburglar, are you excited to see his resurrection in ad campaigns?

As the father of the little burger bandit, I’m pleased to see he’s up to his old tricks and still getting by with a limited vocabulary. Robble.

What “Mad Men” experience can you share with us?

Things were different back then. In the early ’70s, I was head of the creative department at the Needham agency in Chicago, and I noticed that a young woman had joined us as a trainee in the account executive department. I wasn’t directly involved in her accounts, so I had never met her. But I remember thinking it was good that we were finally going to see at least one woman become an account executive. Then one night when I was working late, this young woman burst into my office and breathlessly asked if she could hide under my desk!  I said “Uh, yeah, I guess so, but why are you hiding?” She named a figure in agency management and said, “I think he’s been drinking, and he’s chasing me down the halls!” This promising young trainee hung out in my office until we could assure her that the halls were clear. She then went on to become the agency’s youngest senior vice president, heading up accounts like General Mills and McDonald’s. A few years later, the amazing Rose-Lee Simons, became my amazing wife.

Anything else you’d like to discuss?

In a recent meeting, Vincent Gardner, composer and lead trombonist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, was asked by a young musician how to become great. Gardner advised the young man to “seek out the oldest person you can find who’s doing what you want to do. Tapping into that person’s experience will be the very best way you can become great.”

Gardner’s counsel made me wonder if today’s advertising industry might be well advised to embrace or re-embrace generational inclusion along with the commitment to gender and racial diversity.  As a young copywriter, I learned a lot from mentors who were in their forties and fifties. Yet, as of a few years ago, an IPA Excellence paper stated that staffers over the age of 50 represent only 6 percent of ad land’s workforce. By comparison, 22 percent of professionals in finance were over 50 and a Writer’s Guild survey showed 50 to be the median age of Hollywood screenwriters. When last I checked, consultants range in age from 40 to 60 which may be why they have the kind of access to clients’ C-suites that is often denied to ad agencies. Does it matter that today’s advertising industry, unlike other professions, undervalues experience? I think it might.

P2, we were told, savored soothing, schlocky “jazz baths.” Fan reaction was so positive that Jeff bubbles up again this week, fronting his own kooky campaign—complete with six original smooth-jazz tracks—developed with agency The Marketing Arm.

The new @PatrickMahomes bath bomb/jazz bath @StateFarm commercial is legitimately hilarious. My wife said, “Well I want a jazz bath! That sounds amazing!” ??

— Taylor Hemness (@taylorhemness) September 11, 2022

“Easy on the ears, tender on the soul.” That’s how Jeff describes the musical stylings available on a free CD, promising “All suds, no duds” with relaxing instrumental tracks like “Tubby Time,” “Wash Your Worries Down the Drain” and “I’m Not Crying (There’s Soap in My Eyes).”

And Jeff works the retro vibe in the video below, hawking “Jazz Bath: The Bath Bomb Sessions” and preening as if he’s on MTV circa 1985:

Dude’s like a cleaner version of Kenny G, if such a thing were possible. (Actor Mark Sipka portrays Jeff, but doesn’t actually play on the CD, which features performances from studio musicians.) No sign of State Farm’s resident spokes-bro Jake (who also originated, you’ll recall, as a random character in a fan-favorite commercial). Guess they scrubbed him from the advertising this time around.

” ‘The Bath Bomb Sessions’ was inspired by nostalgic infomercials,” says State Farm marketing VP Alyson Griffin. “We’re providing fans with something tangible that’s from the past yet hilariously contemporary.”

If you can’t get enough of Jeff—and really, who can?—call 1-866-JAZZ-BATH where he touts album selections: “If your fantasy football team is in the gutter, press 1,” “For mansplaining boss problems, press 2.”

Maybe State Farm should play the “Jazz Bath” tunes for customers on hold. That would wash away the nightmare of making a claim and keep everyone oh so marvelously mellow for sure!

Since the CD is already out of stock, you can enjoy the tunes on Spotify instead.

CREDITS

State Farm – Client
Alyson Griffin – Marketing Vice President
Patty Morris – AVP Marketing
Katie Dundas – AVP Marketing
Clinton Inselmann – Group Creative Director
Tim Thomas – Senior Producer, Marketing
Andrew Freeman – Marketing Analyst
Morgan Pulliam – Marketing Analyst
Ciarra Kohn – Marketing Analyst
Sara Brondell – Marketing Analyst
Rachael Risinger – PR Brand Strategist
Amanda Parker – PR Brand Strategist

The Marketing Arm (TMA) – Agency
Harris Wilkinson – Chief Creative Officer
Dave Wasserman – SVP, Creative
Patrick O’Brien – EP, Production
Johnny Fitsimmons – VP, Account Services
Matt Olson – Creative Director
Jonathan Ozer – Creative Director
Josh Johnson – Senior Art Director
Chloe Rockel – Senior Copywriter
Bailey Robillard – Account Supervisor
Rachel Lui – Sr. Account Executive
Ellen O’Donnell – Associate Director, BA

CMC/Forecast, Inc. – SAG Signatory
Carolina Clifford – Production Manager
Christopher Chee – Onset Representative

Gifted Youth, LLC – Production Company
Jake Szymanski – Director
Josh Morse – Executive Producer
Cat Craven-Griffiths – Head of Production
Stephan Mohammed – Producer

Cutters – Editorial
John Dingfield – Editor
Patrick Casey – Executive Producer

Yessian – Music
Gerard Smerek – Global Creative Director, Producer, and mixer
Chris Plansker – Composer
Michael Yessian – Head Of Production
Brian Yessian – CCO

Sam Grant – Photographer
Robert Frolich/Filtre Studio – Retoucher/CGI Artist

Who’s that jolly guy in red helping State Farm celebrate Christmas Day?

It’s spokesdude Jake—who else?—goofing around with Chris Paul, Trae Young and Boban Marjanović in ads from Translation that break during the NBA’s slate of games on Dec. 25.

Hey, Boban … nice hands!

“Many people mistakenly assume that the brand’s home and auto insurance rates are too expensive for their budgets, so State Farm is challenging that belief, along with other commonly held assumptions [through the lens of basketball],” the company says in press materials. “Just like insurance, NBA players can be misunderstood.”

The work stretches across broadcast, online and social channels, leveraging Jake, portrayed by Kevin Miles, who has emerged as a pop-culture force of late. He got the SNL parody treatment a while back, along with faux-Flo from Progressive, cementing his stature.

For State Farm, in addition to hobnobbing with hoopsters, Jake recently riffed with the NFL’s Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, and brought his signature scarlet logo-shirt and brownish slacks to NBA2K.

Gamers, NBA coaches and a WNBA luminary will appear with him in upcoming spots breaking through May.

So, it looks like we’re in for a Khaki New Year!

CREDITS

Brand/Client: State Farm
Campaign Title: State Farm | Challenge Your Assumptions
First Air Date: Dec. 25, 2021

Brand/Client Team: State Farm

Agency: Translation
Chief Executive Officer: Steve Stoute
Executive Creative Director: Jason Campbell
Head of Client Services: Susanna Swartley
Group Creative Lead: Matt Herr
Group Context Director: Joel Rodriguez
Head of Integrated Production: Alison Hill
Senior Art Director: Jen Wang
Senior Copywriter: Deirdre Hering
Junior Art Director: Emeline Earman
Junior Copywriter: MK Holladay
Group Strategy Director: John McBride
Senior Strategist: Megan Mundo
Context Strategist: Paige Rollins
Junior Context Strategist: Sam Cantie
Senior Producer: Lee Nichnowitz
Junior Producer: Ashley Pineda
Business Affairs Manager: Librado Sanchez
Group Account Director: Julia Farber
Account Supervisor: Dara Fineman
Account Executive: Brianna Zuniga
Assistant Account Executive: Taylor Kepley
Production Company: dummy.

Director: Harold Einstein
Producer: Michael Kanter
Production Supervisor: Sara Kelman
DOP: Glynn Speeckaert
Production Designer: Patrick Lumb

Editorial Company: Arcade Edit
Head of Production: Silva Soyer
Editor: Dave Anderson
Assistant Editor: Lucas Ferreira
Cutting Assistant: Sam Barden
Producer: Ellen Lavery

VFX: THE MILL
Creative Director: John Leonti
Senior VFX Artist: Roxy Zuckerman

Color Grade: Company 3
Colorist: Tim Masick
Color Assists: Ryan Moncief
Senior Producer: Kevin Breheny

Sound Design & Mix: Sonic Union
Sound Designer + Mix Engineer: Steve Rosen
Sound Designer + Mix Engineer: Fernando Ascani
Mix Assistant: Julian Fader
Audio Post Producer: Justine Cortale

Have khakis, will travel.

Jake from State Farm sure gets around. Last week, the not-so-nattily-attired spokesdude hung out with star quarterbacks Pat Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers in the insurer’s amusing NFL campaign. Now, Jake courts gamers as a non-playable character in the latest edition of NBA2K.

The Marketing Arm helped develop the integration, which lets players shoot the breeze with virtual Jake in 2K’s social hub, The City. Check out an example below, with “M.P.” repping users in the game’s MyPlayer mode.

Such interaction unlocks Jake’s outfit for free, so you can dress your 2K self in red polo shirts and khakis. (Though, really, why would anyone other than State Farm employees dress like that, even in a virtual environment?)

Actor Kevin Miles, who plays Jake, visited the 2K motion-capture studio to create the avatar:

Can y’all tell I was a little nervous? I’ve got some big news dropping soon … can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to. pic.twitter.com/uW5dQjq03q

— Jake from State Farm (@JakeStateFarm) September 9, 2021

Maybe he got a root canal while he was there? Looks painful!

Like any good capitalist neighbor, avatar Jake exists to sell stuff. He hawks his virtual branded merch at NGHBR GOODS, a 2K storefront offering khakis, polos, jerseys, gym shorts, backpacks, caps and sweatbands.

The company has sponsored 2K since 2018, “leveraging in-arena and goal stanchion branded signage, as well as a branded ‘Assist of the Game,’ ” State Farm assistant VP of marketing and brand Patty Morris tells Muse. “We’re always looking for new ways to deliver the brand’s overall mission of celebrating and strengthening neighborhoods. Video games are known for their strong sense of community, so there’s always been a natural tie-in for us there.”

She adds: “Over the past year, we’ve seen the online community thrive as many turned to gaming while at home during lockdown. This trend has ultimately allowed us to reach new audiences in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to.”

Predictably, Jake’s 2K inclusion polarized the gaming community. Input cries, “Please no … it all feels a bit forced,” while Kotaku moans, “We really are in the darkest timeline.” Gamespot was down with the concept, however, proclaiming, “The whole [Jake] sequence is a treat.”

What, no Twitch tie-in? Of course there’s one—an Oct. 2 “Jakeover.” (Heh. I think.) During the live event, Miles-as-Jake will play well-known streamers and fans can win prizes. 

Star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers connect with khaki-clad spokescharacter Jake From State Farm in a pair of comic spots created by The Marketing Arm.

First up, Rodgers riffs on insurance (in more ways than one) as an indie musician, dedicating a song to “an ex-best friend of mine who took my rate—just gave it away.”

That rolling fog effect, Jake’s facial expressions, Aaron’s deadpan “Mahalo, Kiki” quip—it’s all solid-gold stuff from Bullitt director Tim K.

Next, in a shoe-store scenario, we meet “typical sneakerhead” Mahomes, whose schtick might leave you rolling in the aisles:

OK, not rolling, exactly, but the campaign’s laid-back humor showcases Mahomes and Rodgers to great effect. And the brand proposition—that everyone can afford State Farm coverage, not just MVPs—shines through.

Returning as Jake, Kevin Miles (aka Kevin Mimms) nails the straight-man role. Last year, he took over the part from real State Farm employee Jake Stone, who originated the character in a 2011 commercial that went viral. Mahomes and Rogers are stalwarts from past campaigns.

As you’ve likely guessed, the new ads will air during NFL coverage.

“By the end of the season, Rodgers and Mahomes will finally wrap their heads around our surprisingly great rates that can fit any budget,” a State Farm rep tells Muse. “You’ll see how this unfolds with multiple spots between September and November.”

At least two more flights are planned. Mahalo, State Farm!

“Kevin has developed a real bond and chemistry with our quarterbacks on and off screen,” the rep says, “and that comes through in the work with fun ad-libs and genuine delivery of the dialogue.”

A few weeks back, State Farm scored serious advertising points during the premiere of The Last Dance, ESPN’s lauded documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls.

In a fun spot fusing 1998 SportsCenter footage and deepfake technology, SportsCenter’s Kenny Mayne appeared to predict The Last Dance’s existence 22 years in the future.

That commercial delighted fans and pundits worldwide. So, on Sunday night, during the finale of the doc, State Farm, working once again with ESPN CreativeWorks and ad agency Translation, called another clever play, airing the :30 below.

At first, anchors Keith Olbermann and Linda Cohn appear to “wrap up” the Bulls’ 1998 championship run, until Olbermann makes this bold prediction: “There will never be another team like it … unless Phil Jackson goes and coaches somewhere else, like Los Angeles.”

“I could see them winning five championships, becoming one of the greatest teams of all time,” Olbermann says. Which, of course, is exactly what transpired once Jackson left Chicago to lead the Lakers.

Then, he teases fans eager for sports content with the line, “But that’s another documentary for another day.”

“You’re starting to sound like Kenny Mayne,” Cohn replies, and the link to State Farm is revealed.

While not quite as tricky as the previous spot, the Olbermann-Cohn commercial, called “The Final Act,” proved equally compelling.

Taken together, these ads serve as entertaining reminders of the enduring power of sports at a time when most leagues remain sidelined. They speak to the culture-shaping impact of the games, and tap into our collective consciousness of icons like Michael Jordan in a way that leaves viewers wanting more.

CREDITS

ESPN CreativeWorks
Carrie Brzezinski-Hsu: VP, CreativeWorks and Multimedia Sponsorship Integration
Jay Marrotte: Senior Creative Director
Jamie Overkamp: Creative Director
Andy Truong: Writer
Anthony Nelson: VP, Production
Kyle Wright: Senior Director, Production
Nick Aquilino: Producer
Nicole Gartner: Senior Social Media Branded Content Specialist
Colin Ryan: Disney Ad Sales Manager

Agency: Translation
Chief Executive Officer, Founder: Steve Stoute
President: Ann Wool
Head of Client Services: Susanna Swartley
Group Creative Director: Alex Kaplan
Group Creative Director: Barry Katz
Art Director: Dupree Bostic
Copywriter: Lucas Kelly
Group Account Director: Julia Farber
Account Executive: Stephen Rich
Assistant Account Executive: Bridget Derraugh
Group Strategy Director: John McBride
Strategy Director: Shani Syphrett
Strategist: Megan Mundo
Group Context Director: Joel Rodriguez
Context Director: Evan Auerbach
Senior Context Strategist: Jay Legaspi
Senior Data Analyst: Jineen Carcamo
Senior Project Manager: Ali Schurz

It was a deepfake head-fake.

Lots of advertisers have been using archival footage in their ads since the onset of coronavirus, which has severely hampered live shoots. But State Farm went way back—all the way to 1998—for a fun spot during Sunday’s ESPN premiere of The Last Dance documentary about the ’97-’98 Chicago Bulls.

The spot opened with real footage of ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne reporting on the Bulls’ threepeat that year—when suddenly, things took a turn for the surreal.

Using a version of deepfake technology, ESPN CreativeWorks and agency Translation altered the Mayne footage to have him predict the Last Dance documentary 22 years in the future—a fun stunt that had ESPN viewers buzzing in social media.

STATE FARM WINS. MIND = BLOWN. I thought Kenny Mayne was a Jedi for a solid 10 seconds lol

— Alex Burns (@alexburnshoops) April 20, 2020

OK, that Kenny Mayne commercial for State Farm was terrific.

— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) April 20, 2020

So I can’t move passed that State Farm commercial.

I legit thought Kenny Mayne dropped “lit” on-air during the 90s until I saw that cutaway ?

— George Balekji (@GeorgeBalekji) April 20, 2020

The spot actually rolled out last week on the NBA’s Twitter account, and has also been running as a 6-second spot on Snapchat.

ESPN allowed only a few top-level sponsors into its Last Dance broadcast, which is easily the most buzzed-about sports content since the Covid-19 pandemic upended life across the globe—and canceled practically all live sporting events worldwide. Along with State Farm, Facebook and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are also sponsors.

“We’re proud to have this amazing collection of sponsors for this special, and even more proud of the innovative and custom content our teams developed,” said, Sean Hanrahan, svp of sports brand solutions at Disney Advertising Sales. “The appetite for quality sports programming is evident and we’ll continue to bring brands closer to the connections a franchise like The Last Dance will deliver.”

State Farm is also the presenting sponsor of Jalen & Jacoby: The After Show, a live digital exclusive show with ESPN’s Jalen Rose and David Jacoby streaming across various social media channels, including Facebook and the ESPN app.

As part of Facebook’s sponsorship, ESPN is delivering exclusive Facebook and Instagram programming to interact with fans. The package includes pre- and post-show Facebook Live broadcasts hosted by Cassidy Hubbarth and Sarah Spain on the ESPN page and an exclusive Instagram Live pre-show via the SportsCenter account.

Ah well, love is fleeting. Insurance is for … life. (Happy Valentine’s Day, suckers!)

This marks the second appearance of the new “Jake From State Farm,” portrayed by Kevin Mimms, recently introduced in this Super Bowl pre-game spot:

The Jake character dates back to 2011, when the insurer ran a spot starring real State Farm employee Jake Stone that went viral. The new Jake’s debut was essentially a remake of that earlier commercial:

The 2020 reboot also features a cute cameo from Stone as his successor’s call-center colleague. 

The new Jake is generating plenty of buzz but has proven somewhat polarizing, with dislikes hitting 42 percent on the debut ad’s YouTube page. Judging by the comments, fans of the original Jake are perplexed at his demotion, or the need for a Jake 2.0 who gets more commercial time. State Farm says it was simply a matter of the character taking on a different role. 

The original Jake “did great at delivering his famous line, ‘Uh … khakis,'” State Farm assistant vp of marketing Patti Morris tells Muse. “However, this expanded role is very demanding, and is best filled by a professional actor.” 

Moving ahead, “consumers will see Jake in culturally relevant moments, being his usual helpful self,” says Morris. “We use a fresh, updated voice, tapping into things that are contextually relevant with our audiences.”

“Not the One” breaks on Saturday, with New Jake, NBA superstar Chris Paul and actor Alfonso Ribeiro also appearing in fresh hoops-themed campaign during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend.

CREDITS

State Farm
The Marketing Arm
“Not the One” Credits

CLIENT
State Farm
One State Farm Plaza 
Bloomington, IL 61710

Assistant Vice President: Patty Morris 
Marketing Director: Sue Beigie 
Marketing Manager: Susi Lucas
Marketing Analyst: Tim Thomas 
Marketing Analyst: Christine Williams 
Marketing Analyst: Annie Rondone 
Marketing Analyst: Nick Aviles

AGENCY
The Marketing Arm
225 N. Michigan Avenue 
Chicago, IL 60601

VP, Group Creative Director: Craig Miller 
SVP, Group Creative Director: Harris Wilkinson
Creative Director: Aaron Frye
Executive Producer: Will St. Clair 
Director of Production: Scott Kemper
SVP, Client Service: Amy Erschen
Group Account Director: Johnny Fitzsimmons 
Producer/PBM: Ellen O’Donnell

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Arts & Sciences
662 N. Robertson Blvd. 
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Director: Mike Warzin 
Managing Partner, EP: Marc Marrie
Partner, Managing Director: Mal Ward
Producer: Alex Waite

EDITORIAL
Whitehouse Post
54 W. Hubbard Street, 
Ste. 501
Chicago, IL 60654

Editor: Matthew Wood 
Editor: Carlos Lowenstein
Executive Producer: Kristin Angletti
Producer: Dawn Guzowski

VFX
The Mill
1000 W. Fulton Market, 
Ste. 250
Chicago, IL 60607

Executive Producer: Peter Hullinger 
Producer: James Babiarz
VFX Supervisor: Randy McEntee 
2D Lead: Cory Davis

AUDIO
Another Country
515 N State St # 25, 
Chicago, IL 60654

Executive Producer: Tim Konn
Engineer: Peter Erazmus
Assistant: Logan Vines

ACTORS
“Abby” – Reina Hardesty
“Preston T” – Taylor Handley
“Jake” – Kevin Mimms