National Student Advertising Competition\'s 2010 winning book, Chapman University. Competition through the American Advertising Federation.

2. @nickerickson88

3. Young Adults are consumed by countless responsibilities and social Circle Advertising’s 53 members, hired in September, presented the 4th
commitments*. School. Jobs. Pick-up basketball games. Movies. Annual Warlocks and Witches Ball in October. This served as our initial
Concerts. They told us they perceive themselves to be the single team-building exercise, where we conducted our first wave of primary
busiest generation ever. They use social media to enable every aspect research among Young Adults to gain insights into their attitudes
of their busy lives.** They told us they don’t use their time to think about insurance. Our three-month research initiative culminated on
about getting in a car accident or having their apartment robbed. They February 4 in a Chapman sound stage with Rompe, a five-hour event
are preoccupied with balancing their hectic schedules and searching where we translated our research into key campaign insights leading
for new ways to connect. to our creative Big Idea. Our Big Idea rationalizes a logical, research-
based advertising strategy, media plan, promotional program, PR
More than anything, Young Adults value their time. calendar, and creative executions. Through implementation, we tested
two of our signature events: the “Get Covered” promotion and the
Young Adults told us State Farm is “outdated, expensive and a “Next Breath” PR event. Again, we don’t just tell you what we will do;
hassle.” They told us the insurance agent is “unnecessary, an extra we show you what we did.
complication, and an added built-in cost.”
Every Circle Advertising member is an expert in social media. When
Circle Advertising’s campaign addresses these misconceptions by you hire Circle, you inject social media into your marketing DNA.
positioning State Farm as:
When a Young Adult experiences an unfortunate situation that requires
• A value and a convenience, saving Young Adults time. an insurance solution, it is a State Farm agent who steps in and takes
• Competent users of social media, meeting Young Adults where charge, Freeing Young Adults to continue with their busy lives. Feel
Young Adults meet. Free shows State Farm not only insures the cars, laptops, TV’s and
• The pre-eminent insurance agent network, freeing Young Adults to bikes of Young Adults, it insures what they value most.
do their thing.
Their time.
In the pages ahead we will present to you the strategies and programs
that reinforce State Farm’s positioning to Young Adults. You will see
that at Circle we don’t just tell you what we will do, we show you what
we did.
*source: “60 Minutes – The Millennials are coming.”
**source: “CBS - The Age of the Millennials.”
1

4. we set out to understand Young Adults...
OBJECTIvEs
We set and executed five research objectives to guide our campaign and ultimately build a lasting
relationship between Young Adults and State Farm.
• Recognize Independent Young Adults’ current views of Auto and Renters insurance
• Analyze State Farm’s top competitors in the Auto insurance industry
• Discover profitable approaches to reach our demographic effectively
• Test various State Farm brand identities for recognition, recall and reinforcement of brand positioning
• Attract and maintain Independent Young Adults
We will correct Young Adults misconceptions and leverage the Agent network
• Largest market share in the Auto insurance industry • Reposition State Farm to Young Adults
• Agent-based business model • Leverage State Farm’s Agent benefits
• Long history of growth and success • Exploit social media
• Target Hispanics
• Disproportionately low penetration of Young Adult market • Multiple agent-based models: Allstate, Nationwide, Farmers
• Ignorance of agent benefits • Young Adult preferences for online communication
• Inconsistent advertising • Highly saturated insurance market
• Social media • Young Adults’ perception that agent based model
is outdated
2

5. ...and found out they don’t understand you
research impressions
man on the
street interviews
california professional
hotspots
interviews
college
campuses
events
TOTAL warlocks & Initial research surveys and
witches impressions were conducted at the
SURVEYS attendees Warlock’s and Witch’s Ball
general insight get covered
surveys attendees
parent next breath
surveys attendees
independent young
adult surveys
psychographic
surveys
hispanic focus
surveys diaries groups Branding focus group that provided
media insight on the effectiveness of State
diaries Farm’s messaging and recall versus
its competitors
agent
diaries
6 different types of research gave us over 6,000 research impressions and led us to
key insights into our target demographics
Before we could better Young Adults’ lives by being there, we wanted to understand how to turn our audience
into brand advocates. We found out where, when and how to reach them in the most relevant and exciting way.
Research diaries granted us insight on State Farm’s current physical work environment. Our media diaries
revealed the vast number of messaging vehicles our markets are exposed to everyday. We utilized the high
turn out at our three events to approach our audiences in a non-intrusive way. Professional interviews with
Man on the Street Interviews
auto collision specialists, social media experts, lawyers and the director for the Stanford Institute for Economic at UNLV that provided valuable
Policy gave us insights on Young Adults in relation to insurance. qualitative research insights
3

6. we found 3 different markets...
We split Young Adults into three audiences to tailor our approach to each segment. This allowed us to place
our ads strategically, plan events and choose partnerships that are relevant to their lives.
PrImary - IndEPEndEnTs
There are 17 million Independents
between the ages of 18 and
25 in the US that we can align
with. They are extremely price- of Independents live of Independents have of Independents have
in an off-campus the same insurance State Farm insurance
sensitive and for the first time
apartment or house provider as their
are purchasing insurance without (without a parent parents or guardians
their parents’ assistance. They or guardian)
crave convenience, which causes
them to prefer online models.
sECOndary: TransITIOnal
Transitionals are in between of Transitionals regard of Transitionals said price of Transitionals said
dependence and independence. their family as the most was one of the determining having an insurance agent
This movement provides the trusted resource when factors when choosing an would influence their final
perfect opportunity to engage our it comes to choosing an insurance company decision
market at a time when they want insurance company
to be considered adults.
Young Adults look for three leading factors in insurance:
want Good Rates/Prices want their claims paid want honest
fairly and promptly and trustworthy
TErTIary: HIsPanIC representatives
Our Hispanic target is as well-
versed in pop culture as any
group in the US. Their definition
of culture revolves around work, of surveyed Hispanics more likely to download of the total online
life and play. They also display a spoke both English and digitial content than population is made
higher usage of mobile Internet Spanish fluently the average US adult up of Hispanics and
is expanding more
and cell phone features, allowing internet user* than 50% faster than
us to connect to them through the overall US online
fresh initiatives. population*
4 * “U.S. Demographics are Changing… Are Your Marketing Plans Ready?” study by The Nielsen Company

7. ...with three different barriers
There are three barriers separating State Farm from connecting with Young Adults.
Understanding and overcoming these barriers will allow State Farm to communicate its
message effectively. This is a necessary step in developing our strategy.
GEnEraTIOnal dIsCOnnECT aGEnT mIsCOnCEPTIOn
Young Adults experience higher brand bombardment than any To Young Adults, Agents seem outdated and boring. They view
generation before them. Over-saturation of the market has made them Agents as pushy and associate them with car salesmen. Presenting
immune to messaging, especially in brands they cite as irrelevant. With the value that an Agent offers will motivate Young Adults to switch
brands that engage them however, brand loyalty is extremely high. providers.
State Farm is not this brand.
“I wouldn’t trust the Agent, just because I’d know he’d be trying to
• 11 out of 12 Young Adults correctly identified the State Farm logo sell me stuff…” –Female, 20, Focus Group Participant
• Of those 11, less than half could recite the tagline
“I could have gone down there to talk to someone, but that would
have been a waste of time,” Female, 22, Focus Group Participant
on talking with a representative after an accident
lOw InvOlvEmEnT mIndsET
Insurance ranks low on the Young Adult priority list, creating another While the majority of Young Adults do not see the benefits,
barrier for State Farm. Their limited knowledge of insurance keeps those with an Agent express deep appreciation for their services.
them from discussing it, making it difficult to engage them. Translating this to the rest of our market is key to creating incentive
to switch providers.
“I don’t think car insurance has ever come up in a conversation with
my friends” – Male, 21, Brand Awareness Focus Group “I really like having an Agent, they especially helped me when I
got in a wreck and was in a time crunch.” –Female, 22, Man on the
Street Interview
* Source: http://www.statefarm.com
5

8. to be effective, timing is everything
After breaking through the barriers the second phase addresses the
Occasions of Opportunity. These are the five periods in which Independents,
Transitionals and Hispanics are motivated to think about, interact and even
switch insurance providers. All executions and messaging will hit at least
one of the following Occasions of Opportunity.
PurCHasInG a Car mOvInG (Off CamPus/OuT Of THE HOusE)
Purchasing a high-ticket item, such as a car, immediately When moving out on their own, Young Adults’ mindsets transition
brings insurance into Young Adults’ minds. By focusing on from dependent to independent as they begin to realize the value of
competitive pricing and the personal touch of an Agent, material property. This is an Occasion of Opportunity for State Farm
State Farm can generate interest for their services. to better lives by providing peace of mind in the form of
Renters insurance.
GraduaTIOn
This is a generation of aspiration. Whether heading into aCCIdEnTs
college or the professional world, fiscal success and Fifty-six percent of Young Adults said they primarily think about
responsibility dominate their consciousness. State Farm insurance after getting into an accident. State Farm can reinforce the
has an opportunity to assist Young Adults as they take value of the Agent by emphasizing the time an Agent saves.
the next step.
dIssaTIsfaCTIOn wITH COmPETITOrs
As individuals experience dissatisfaction with their
providers, a key Occasion of Opportunity opens for State
Farm. Available and helpful Agents motivate Young Adults
to switch to State Farm.
6

9. finding our place and investing in ideas
PERCEPTION MAP RETURN ON IDEA
(where we want to be) (3yr long term)
We analyzed the industry and found a lucrative position that The current ROI model doesn’t take into account the full make-up of a
State Farm can own. brand. We developed a framework to measure the return on idea.
BRAND OBJECTIVES
18% 10%
8% projected
percentage
current
percentage
top of mind relevancy perception
of quality
92%
45%
22%
19%
16% projected
percentage
current
percentage
difference awareness being there trust compentency
We will reposition State Farm as valuable and convenient. The valuable A brand is no longer what we say or do, but what people think and say
and convenient position is currently vacant, allowing State Farm to about us. Goals must be meaningful to our audience, in their terms, not
capture first-mover advantages. Repositioning State Farm allows it ours. Because the insurance industry is a slow yielding industry where
to become more appealing to Young Adults and differentiates it from significant monetary returns can’t be expected within a single year, we
other agent-based competitors, such as Allstate. developed a framework that measures long-term brand value.
7

10. understanding conventions...
Before developing our own ideas, it was imperative to understand
industry conventions and market perceptions. Without a complete
understanding of what already exists, it was impossible to break these
norms and establish resonant messaging.
We developed a process called Rompe (pronounced: rome-peh) that
allowed us to understand trends and evaluate creative executions,
promotions, public relations initiatives and media strategies in the
marketplace. Industry analysis and audience research was presented to
give weight to our insights. Rompe, from the Spanish word “to break,”
serves as our catalyst in understanding trends and norms that help us
discover how to differentiate State Farm from its competitors.
Information on the insurance industry as well as Young Adults was
presented to find correlations, niche markets, insights and initiatives
that have yet to be explored. As a part of the process, each of our
departments displayed its findings on boards assembled in a large
room. Our research included:
• The history and core principles of State Farm
• Insights into Young Adults’ mind sets
• Creative trends in insurance advertising
• Artistic trends on a global scale
• Corporate responsibility campaigns
• Emerging media
• A yearlong calendar of nationwide events
8

11. ...and breaking them
Our team spent 90 minutes walking through the exhibits taking notes,
analyzing and discussing findings.
This free-form environment fostered insights that guided the direction of our
entire campaign, culminating in a three-day process leading up to our Big Idea.
Key findings included:
• State Farm is a company that betters people’s lives by being there
• Animated characters or live-action spokespeople ultimately alter
the Agent
• Online-based companies utilize gimmicks and superhero personalities
to make up for the lack of a timesaving Agent
Altering the Agent is untruthful and contrary to State Farm’s beliefs; we
must celebrate the Agent for what they do
We also discovered there were three basic ideas that drove advertising
executions in the insurance industry:
We determined the best approach was to celebrate real-life situations
• Altering reality and the Agent who enables you to experience them. State Farm’s
• Altering the Agent strength, as a real-life company with real-life values, should be
• Celebrating reality celebrated and not compromised.
9

12. 10

13. Translating Our Insights
Into Executions
Brand IdEa
Bettering people’s lives by being there.
BIG IdEa
fEEl frEE
The Now What? campaign perfectly illustrated Young Adults reacting
to property damage scenarios, leaving them in a state of panic and
uncertainty. We have coined this gasp, the Inhale Moment. The moment
after the Inhale is the key to communicating our message to Young Adults.
This is the moment that State Farm customers count on their Agent. The
moment when they realize their time is not compromised. The moment
they Feel Free.
CrEaTIvE vIsIOn
sTaTE farm aGEnTs EnaBlE yOu TO ExHalE, and Carry On.
Inhale moments are universally overwhelming. State Farm agents make a
difference in people’s lives by offering support and saving time, allowing customers
to exhale and carry on with their lives. It is this vision that manifests the Feel Free
moment in a practical way.
TOnE
The tone is lighthearted, empathetic and assuring. This remains consistent with the core
principles of State Farm and embodies the message of Feel Free.
ExECuTIOns
All executions will seamlessly integrate into the above ideas and
the tag line, Feel Free.
11

14. strengthening State Farm’s relationship with Young Adults
It is important to understand the stage of the relationship State Farm
shares with Young Adults. There are five stages in the State Farm/
Young Adult relationship, each with tailored executions to
maximize effectiveness.
InTrOduCTIOn rEInfOrCInG valuE
Create interest and build familiarity with the Feel Free campaign. Demonstrate specific benefits of State Farm that empower customers
to Feel Free.
InCrEasE awarEnEss
Build a presence, create brand advocates and spread the affIrmaTIOn
Feel Free message. Emphasize post-purchase services and reward State Farm advocates
for spreading Feel Free.
POsITIOnInG
Define the value of State Farm services, participate in the Feel Free
conversation and inform potential customers of the benefits of
choosing State Farm.
12

15. as media habits evolve, so must we
It is no longer a matter of what brands can do, but what they should
do. Media can no longer be defined as traditional or non-traditional,
but as every interaction between the brand and its audience*. In order
to re-frame our perspective in a way that encapsulates and facilitates
every interaction between State Farm and Young Adults, we will
approach our planning with four media categories.
PaId EarnEd OwnEd CrEaTEd
Anything we purchase, including Anything that gives our audience Any existing touch point we Any new media vehicles that
traditional advertising. Vehicles an opportunity to invite us into have, such as our agents, offices have been designed and created
include: television, radio, print, their lives, making State Farm a and Web sites that enhance and specifically by us to deliver our
outdoor and digital. topic of conversation through reinforce our message. It is usually message uniquely.
word-of-mouth and PR endeavors. overlooked and often turns out to ex. spectaculars, phone
• :30 spot - ABC, ESPN, be the most cost-effective. applications, branded video games
Galavision, Univision • Viral Video ex. buildings, shopping bags, fleet
• Print - Allure, SI, Motorcyclist • Next Breath • Parking lot takeover - major
• Online - Yahoo! Telemundo, • World Cup - Kick-Off • Branded postage sporting events and concerts
Hulu takeovers, Keywords & • Big Red Couch • iPhone Game - Go, Play, Win!
Paid local search • Collision Card • Guerilla Executions
* Source: TBWA/MediaArtsLab
13

16. media and research: a winning pair
After evaluating the Barriers, Occasions of Opportunity and stages of
Brand Awareness, we evaluated the media vehicles that would best fit
into each stage of the campaign.
We will use paid media to We will use earned We will employ owned We will reinforce value We will use created media
support the introduction media to reach Young media to translate the using created media to place emphasis
phase of the brand cycle Adults and build a positioning phase of the because it demonstrates on post-purchase
by creating brand interest presence and brand cycle to Young State Farm’s services and reward State
and building familiarity. brand advocates. Adults and define State service benefits. Farm advocates.
Farm’s value.
14

17. To respect and refresh State Farm’s established style, our Creative
Strategy will encompass the following elements to deliver all
messaging:
With these elements combined with the previously presented guides,
• We will connect the perception of value with State Farm Agents by
we are confident that our executions will maximize effectiveness for
positioning them as time savers.
both the messaging of the Feel Free campaign and its
• We will remain effective and relevant to Young Adults by creating
successful reception.
executions that are artful, visually arresting and on their terms.
• We will increase retention and pass-along rates by adding value
beyond the medium itself using take-aways.
• We will always portray Agents as trusted, helpful and
knowledgeable.
• We will create executions that are cross-cultural, respecting the
assimmilation of our Hispanic market.
• We will maintain the substantiality of our message by placing the
Feel Free logo in a three dimensional environment and reflect the
Feel Free moment by having a wisp move fluidly through the logo.
15

18. using well-established mediums to reach our market
PrInT ad “dInnEr”
Our print ads portray the seamless transition from the Inhale to Exhale moment as the Young Adult
is empowered to carry on from setbacks in her day. She experiences the Feel Free moment when she
realizes her Agent is there and she can enjoy her evening.
PrInT ad “rOadTrIP”
A CD takeaway inserted in magazines gives the owner 25 free song downloads from FeelFree.com.
radIO “fEEl frEE wEEKEnd”
To create brand presence on the radio, State Farm will sponsor three days of commercial-free radio in
18 major markets throughout the entire year.
16

19. kicking off our campaign
This spot will launch at the beginning of the World Cup in June
:30 second spot -between events inOn”
The Young Adult’s seamless transition
“Carry his day
and help to build awarness for the Feel Free campaign. It will air on establishes the idea of constant motion, reinforcing the value of a State
both ESPN and Univision, capturing our Independent and Hispanic Farm Agent as a time saver. By running the commercial in reverse, we
markets. The spot will run from June 2010 until March 2011 with a shift the focus from his accident to the Feel Free moment that follows.
pulsing strategy that alternates air time with our radio spots. He is able to live life normally because his Agent takes care of
the accident.
Male steps out of Walks away from car in Keys fly from his hand into Walks backwards into a Sits down with his date Talks with her over a
undamaged car backwards motion another hand sushi bar finished meal
Eats sushi at the table Waves and walks away Walks out of restaurant Jogs onto a soccer field Juggles soccer the Dribbles backwards down
from table backwards soccer ball the field
Appears in front of Enters a conference room Papers fly from the table Walks by his car, Appears worried, seeing Gives his keys to the agent
an office full of businesspeople into his arms now damaged his car and smiles
The design of our :30 second spot will give the illusion that each scene is placed directly next to each other. The Young Adult’s motion is
uninterrupted as he transitions from scene to scene. The production design simulates the idea that he can move from one event to another
17
without stopping to deal with an unexpected event.

20. making the online connection...
Hulu PaGE TaKE OvEr
A State Farm Agent will enter
the screen and invite the viewer
to watch their show commercial-
free. The Agent interacts with the
website, pulling away the ad to allow
the show to continue.
GOOGlE adwOrds
Insurance related keywords will
place our site at the top of the
online search. Twitter testimonials
will replace standard call-to-actions.
Cars.COm
HOmEPaGE TaKEOvEr
A webpage takeover will
load a site that appears to be
destroyed. Users will watch the
site piece itself back together,
followed by the Feel Free logo
appearing on the page.
18

21. ...and bringing it home
TransIT audIO POsTErs
Underground transit systems will
feature audio posters allowing
Young Adults to plug-in their
headphones and enjoy relaxing
natural sounds and music before
their busy commute.
Bus sHElTEr
Bus shelter takeovers will generate brand OuTdOOr BIllBOard
experience on public transportation. Those “GamE TImE”
waiting to board the bus will experience The ad portrays the seamless transition from the
the Feel Free message, illustrated by the Inhale to the Exhale moment as our Young Adult is
big red couch decal. empowered to carry on from his unforeseen event.
Bus wraP/InTErIOr TaKE-OvEr This billboard is one of two that will be used. One
(Not Pictured) will mirror the magazine print ad and the other will
The bus wrap will depict a damaged car create brand awareness, using State Farm red and
and a helpful Agent opening the doors the Feel Free logo.
of a bus, separating passengers from the
accident. For non-drivers, the interior
bus takeover will use vinyls to create an
apartment-like setting featuring items that
are covered by Renters insurance.
19

22. it’s been there, whether you knew it or not
THEIR INFO
Name:
Address:
____________
___
Policy Number:
______________
YOUR INFO
____ _ Name: John
____
____ Smith
____________
Driver’s Licen ___ ___
Policy Number:
se: Address: 421 Y 3547961
____________
State/License
____________
___ Grand __
____
St. Orange, CA ___
Place: Driver’s Licen
____
92867_
____
____________
___ ce: D9801359
Persons invo
fEEl frEE wEBsITE
______________
_
lved in accid State/License
____ ent: Place: CA/G
____
IW868 ___
THEIR INFO YOUR INFO
____ ____________
All witnesse ___
Persons invo
____
s: lved in accid
____
____
____
____
ent:
____
Name: Policy Number:
___
All witn Smith
Name: Johnesse Policy Number: Y 3547961
FeelFree.com will include
___
_______________ _______________
____
s:
_______________ _______________
__
Address: _______________ Address: 421 Grand______92867
St. Orange, CA __
_______________
_
er: Y 3547961
Driver’s License: Driver’s Licence: D9801359
information on our initiatives,
_______________ _______________
State/License Place: _______________ State/License Place: CA/GIW868
_______________
Agen Name/Nu
Personst involved in accident: Diez
contests and will link to our
mber: Alex ______
Persons involved in accident:
_____________________ _______________
___
Name: John
All witnesses: Smit All witnesses:
_______________
h
____________
___
Policy Number: _______________
social media networks and the
Address:421 Y 3547961
______________
Grand St. Oran
____
_
____ ge, CA 9286
____
7
___
Driver’s Licen
se: D9801359
State Farm homepage.
______________
_
State/License
Place: CA/G
IW868
____________
___
Y 3547961
Agent Name/Number: Alex Diez
_______________
Name: John Smith
_______________ Policy Number: Y 3547961
_______________
Address:421 Grand St. Orange, CA 92867
_______________ Collision Card
Driver’s License: D9801359
_______________
State/License Place: CA/GIW868
_______________
COllIsIOn Cards Collision Card
Collision Cards will allow State
Farm customers to Feel Free
from worry, knowing they have
all the necessary information to
exchange after an accident.
COllaTEral rEdEsIGn
(not pictured)
All collateral materials will be
redesigned to match the
Feel Free campaign.
GrEETInG Cards
State Farm Agents will send
greeting cards on special
occasions to their customers.
For example:
“Whole wide world meet Austin.
BIG rEd COuCH Austin, meet the whole wide world.
Sitting areas in State Farm offices will be supplemented with red, branded couches. These allow the Take some time to get to know
Agents to build a more comfortable and relaxing environment in their office, mirroring the support and each other.”
20 comfort an Agent provides.

23. if it doesn’t exist, we’ll make it
GO. Play. wIn.
Go. Play. Win. is an iPhone game that prompts
users to take pictures of State Farm logos
552-558
encountered in everyday life. This interaction
TODAY, encourages them to visit various State Farm
parking is on us
offices where they can find clues to win a
variety of prizes.
sms PlaTfOrm
(not pictured)
ParKInG lOT State Farm customers can send a text to a
TaKE-OvEr specific number, which will return a text with
State Farm will utilize major
their policy information.
sporting events and concerts for
their parking lot take-over initiative.
They will buy out the entire lot,
covering the cost of parking for BIKE TIrE
attendees. Instead of a traditional laPTOP vInyl sTICKEr sPOKE InsErT
parking voucher, they will receive Copy: Sometimes the best office Copy: Renters insurance
a State Farm branded free parking work is done outside the office so covers your bike
pass for the entire day. Renters insurance can cover your everywhere you go. So go
laptop ANYWHERE you go. somewhere.
Example: Parking lot takeover of
Lady Gaga concert, MLB Playoff
games and music festivals.
BrandEd PaCKaGInG 44
USA
TaPE
Branded packaging tape will act as a For about the
price of 4 STAMPS,
reminder of our brand at one of the you could add
Occasions of Opportunity, moving. Renter’s Insurance
auTO KIT mOvE-In KIT BrandEd usPs
An auto kit includes A move-in kit will provide
everything a Young commonly forgotten items
sTamPs
State Farm branded stamps
Adult would need if used during the moving
remind our market of the low
something were to process for our Transitional
cost of Renters insurance.
happen to their car. market. 21

24. giving the gift of giving
nExT BrEaTH CamPaIGn
Next Breath supplements the Feel Free campaign by
empowering Young Adults to pass on the Feel Free moment
through giving. Next Breath’s social media and promotional
events enable participants to emulate State Farm values:
mutual trust, quality and being there. Next Breath will launch
its social media campaign after the initial launch of Feel Free.
After you experience the Inhale and Exhale moment, there is
always the Next Breath. EvEnT
We tested our Next Breath event and chose to benefit
UNICEF. It featured three expressions of feeling free: art,
nExT BrEaTH OBJECTIvEs music, and writing.
• Develop a public service campaign communicated through social media
• Reach 150,000 Young Adults through events and social media efforts • ART - Local artists donated pieces and made them
• Gather awareness and support for local and global charities available for purchase with proceeds going to UNICEF
• MUSIC - A live karaoke band allowed attendees to let go of
inhibitions while singing on stage.
• WRITING - There were two boards placed at the entrance
of the event. One was titled, “What makes you Stressed?”
rEsEarCH Of yOunG adulTs* while the other read “What makes you Feel Free?”
Attendees wrote on the board to share their experiences
with each other.
prefer to contribute to prefer to attend a concert
charities focused on child instead of a sporting event, To further publicize the event, live tweeting was displayed
wellbeing and disaster relief gala, carnvial or others on a projector enticing attendees to tweet and share the
experience with their online communities with the hashtag
#nextbreath. The incredible success of the event determined
that it could be rolled out nationally in support for UNICEF.
prefer to volunteer for a charity would not donate.
prefer to donate in other ways prefer to donate money
22
*based on a psychographic survey of 533 independents

25. social media is our forté
wE arE TraInEd wE arE awarE Professional Interview with social
media expert and author of Trust
Circle Advertising incorporates In past campaigns we have Agents, Chris Brogan
talent from a spectrum of majors incorporated Facebook, YouTube,
at Chapman University, the most and Blogs yielding incredible results.
dominant being Public Relations Feel Free gave us the perfect
and Advertising (PRA). Internet opportunity to use these mediums
Communications, a required course in conjunction with Twitter. We
of PRA is dedicated to the study designated a Twitter Task Force to
of social media and its effects research and educate the team on
wE arE aCTIvE
We used twitter to inform followers of the progress of Circle Advertising
on marketing. Required reading Twitter and maximize its potential
(#chapmanpra, #nsac) and promoted our events by linking to our
includes top selling social media with tools such as Tweetdeck.
Facebook event pages. We also developed hash tag channels within the
books: We observed conversations that
#nsac channel to communicate internally. Circle Advertising dominated
involved State Farm directly (@
the conversation that existed in the #NSAC channel by maintaining
• Twitterville: How Businesses statefarm) as well as indirectly
over 80% of the tweets from October 2009 – March 2010. Near the
Can Thrive in the New Global (tweets that included #statefarm
completion of this book, the conversation eventually spread to NSAC
Neighborhoods or “state farm”). We found three
participants across the country and created conversation.
• Naked Conversations: How influential insights:
Proof of our influential strategy with social media
Blogs are Changing the Way
was given to us when schools across
Businesses Talk with Customers • Many people unknowingly gave
the nation began to implement
• Groundswell: Winning in a positive testimonials regarding
Circle Advertising-created
World Transformed by Social their experiences with State Farm
hash tags and jargon into @LarryChiang
Technologies • @StateFarm created organic
their conversations.
conversation with followers
Case studies and strategies featured regarding customer service and
@State_Farm_Sucks
in these books were used collectively initiatives
to shape the curriculum. Outside • De-marketing campaigns were
of the classroom Circle Advertising initiated on the grassroots level
attended two major events that with twitters such as Angela
featured experts on social media. A Russell (@State_Farm_Sucks) and
presentation by Seth Godin, author Larry Chiang (@larrychiang)
of Linchpin and an interview with
Chris Brogan, author of Trust Agents, These three relevant insights
provided valuable insight into the became integral when shaping our
ever-changing realm of social media. social media objectives for
Feel Free.
“On Twitter, word can spread faster than wildfire. Companies no longer have the option of ignoring the conversation.” – Twitterville
“…shift the focus from products to relationships.” – Naked Conversations
“Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them, more able to get
where they’d like to go.” - Linchpin
“We’ve taken what we’ve learned from our years as “digital natives”…to help you better understand the mind-set required to
match your business needs.” – Trust Agents
“People use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions.” - Groundswell
23

26. now it’s yours
Next Breath will serve as the catalyst in creating new online
relationships between State Farm and Young Adults while spreading
the Feel Free message.
Next Breath will use these four popular social media tools to maximize
the reach of the campaign:
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube
• Twitter
sTaTE farm’s yOuTuBE CHannEl
Young Adults want to connect with each other and with brands that The State Farm YouTube Channel will not only be a destination for
have something worth saying. It is important to stay connected and current commercials, it will be the resource for everything State Farm.
engage conversation in new and relevant ways. This includes all of the videos for Next Breath as well as promotional
contests. The mixture of video uploads will work in unison to share the
Feel Free idea. Videos include:
InITIaTIvEs:
• Next Breath Events
THE GIvE away GIvEaway! • State Farm Philanthropic Events
Utilizing Twitter, State Farm will announce their presence online. • World Cup Promotion – Kick-Off
Followers of @StateFarm will be randomly selected to have $1000
donated to a charity of their choice. A new follower will be picked suPPOrT:
everyday for a year. Followers qualify by including their Feel Free The social media Taskforce (national level)
moment and tweeting at @StateFarm and #FeelFree. Using the A division within the Public Relations team called the Social Media
#NextBreath hashtag, @StateFarm will announce contest winners Taskforce will maintain accounts and keep tabs on trends in the world of
and charities. social media, ensuring that State Farm remains ahead of the curve.
nExT BrEaTH fanPaGE “@sfagent” Twitter accounts (local level)
Facebook will be utilized in order to help promote the national rollout The Social Media Taskforce will train State Farm agents on Twitter,
of the Next Breath event. State Farm will participate in conversations ensuring they are competent and able to converse with Young Adults.
to share their ever-present philanthropy efforts and post opportunities Implementing Twitter will redefine how the industry utilizes social media
for fans to volunteer at upcoming events. Links to all charities that to connect to Young Adults. Communicating in a public forum increases
received $1000 from The Give Away Giveaway will be posted, as well Young Adults opinion of trust and transparency of a brand. Below are
as the names of the donors. some examples of typical conversations that would benefit followers:
nExT BrEaTH flICKr PaGE • Answering basic insurance questions
The popular photo gallery site will feature a Next Breath Flickr • Local State Farm event information
page. This gives the Next Breath community a place to share their • Discounts that State Farm offers
experiences from Next Breath events. The gallery will feature
volunteers’ and attendees’ photos and stories from the events. Marketing materials will feature the Agent’s Twitter handle so customers
can follow local conversations.
Ex: @SFAgent_JJameson
24

27. making the best of a bad situation
Strategy get Covered
Get Covered incorporates situational sets, a paint splatter station and a
Feel Free brings State Farm into communities by extending its reach dance party to evoke the Feel Free moment. It builds a platform for our
through live-event promotions. These events break all three barriers audience to relate to, breaking the barrier of Generational Disconnect.
and provide a reprieve from the busy lives that Young Adults lead. It also breaks the barrier of Low Involvement by encouraging our
Each event has been carefully considered to target Independents, audience to take part in staged accidental sets that remind them of the
Transitionals and Hispanics in various locations. need for insurance. Get Covered targets Transitionals and Independents
in places they hang out: campuses and local hot spots.
We executed Get Covered with two elements that contributed to the
Feel Free moment:
Situations
There were three sets: a robbed apartment, a car with a shattered
window and a bike without wheels. Young Adults experienced the
Inhale moment as they interacted with these situations. They were
excited to participate as each set was designed to look like a photo
shoot. During the national rollout, photos from the sets will be posted
online and voted on, with the first place photo becoming a print ad.
Paint Splatter dance Party
As participants transitioned from the situations to the dance party,
they were enthusiastic about experiencing the Exhale moment at the
paint splatter station. It was a space where they could let go of their
inhibitions and carry on to the rest of the event.
During the event, participants were given campaign branded shirts and
sunglasses. As a partnership, Red Bull provided refreshments for event
participants.
25

28. finding new friends...
THE wOrK ExCHanGE TEam
The Work Exchange Team trains volunteers to work at music festivals
across the nation. State Farm will sponsor a concert at each festival for
the volunteers that celebrates the work they’ve done, evoking the Feel
Free moment. We will emphasize festivals that run from May to June,
hitting our Occasions of Opportunity of Graduation and Moving Out.
wOrld CuP
The World Cup Contest motivates users to express their hobbies and
passions by re-enacting their favorite moments in soccer history.
Videos of these moments will be posted on the State Farm Youtube
channel. Viewer votes will determine the winner of an all-inclusive trip
to the World Cup. This promotion makes State Farm branded content
relevant to the market and breaks the barrier of
Generational Disconnect.
sPOnsOrs & ParTnErsHIPs
Carfax IKEa ParTnErsHIP
State Farm will partner with CARFAX to create a Common Issues A partnership with Ikea will increase awareness of Renters insurance
tab, which will include pros and cons of specific car models. This and will hit the Occasion of Opportunity of Moving Out. As a co-
partnership builds State Farm’s brand value and hits the promotion, we will set up our staged accidental sets from Get Covered
Occasion of Opportunity of Purchasing a Car. in major cities using Ikea products. Expanding on Ikea’s current
initiative, when people take the furniture from the set, the product
ZInGO dEsIGnaTEd drIvErs description will be revealed. Each piece of Ikea furniture will have
Zingo Designated Drivers will motorbike to the State Farm customer, a traced outline on the floor identifying the name and price of the
put their bikes in the customer’s trunk and drive them home. We will product in relation to the benefits of Renters insurance.
partner with Zingo to celebrate the responsible friend – the designated
driver – by giving them a night off to Feel Free with their friends and Hulu.COm – If I Can drEam
know everyone has a safe ride home. The partnership will begin in the If I Can Dream is an online reality show, streamed by Hulu, which
month of March to hit the Occasion of Opportunity of Graduation, as follows the stories of five 20 – 25 year-old actors as they chase
this is when people begin to think about their next step. Since this their dreams of stardom in Hollywood. State Farm will support their
program doesn’t reach all of our targeted cities, we plan to work with endeavors by sponsoring acting coaches for each house member. If
them to expand nationally. one of the participants doesn’t perform well at a casting, State Farm
will sponsor another casting call. By presenting the agent as coach,
someone that is there, we break the barrier of Agent Misconception.
26

29. ...and hitting the road
Get Covered will be implemented in parking lots of large music venues PR & promo timeline
and university parking structures nationwide. It will be organized by get covered
Everything Events & Entertainment beginning June 2010. Everything
WORK EXCHANGE TEAM “If I ca n Dream”
Events previous clients include: Disney, Charles Schwab, GEICO, NFL,
WORLD CUP IKEA ca rf ax zingo
Gatorade and many more.
Red Bull, a partner of the signature event, will utilize its established May JUNE Ju ly AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. Mar. APRIL MAY
infrastructure with its street teams to promote the event in each of the next brea th unisef
targeted cities, concentrating on college campuses and local hot spots blogger
that attract independents. news
next breat h
The first event will take place in New York during the first week of June.
flickr
facebook
Next Breath regional events will be executed in the same cities as Get
twitter
Covered but will commence in 2011. Each event will be planned and
executed by a passionate State Farm agent “team leader” who will
receive help from volunteer street teams, drawn from
MADISON
nationwide charities. COLUMBUS 231,000
754,000 UWisconsin
SALT LAKE CITY Ohio State St. Paul
181,000
Westminster MINNEAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS
382,000 CHICAGO 798,000 HARTFORD
BYU
124,000
national roll out map Utah UMinnesota 2,835,000 UIndianpolias
UIllinois Yale
Utah State
PHILIDELPHIA Trinity
1,540.000 Uhartford
Temple
UPenn
Penn State
BOSTON
620,000
PORTLAND BC, BU
582,000 Emerson
Portland State Harvard
Reed Northeastern
Lewis and Clark MIT
Tufts
NEW YORK
SAN FRANCISCO 8.300.000
808,000 NYU
USF Barnard
SFSU
WASHINGTON D.C BALTIMORE
Berkeley
591,000 636,000
George Washington Johns Hopkins
Georgetown UBaltimore
American
LOS ANGELES Howard
3,849,000
Chapman
UCLA LAS VEGAS CHARLOTTE
USC 607,000 687,000
Loyola Marymount UNLV PHEONIX Duke,
132,000 Johnson and Wales
ASU UNC
DENVER
DALLAS Queens
598,000 ATLANTA
1,M279,000 Kings
Boulder 536,000
UDenver SMU
Emory
Georgia, Tech MIAMI
AUSTIN
Spelman 413,000
757,000 MEMPHIS
UMiami
27
UTexas 669,000
St. Edwards Rhodes
UMemphis