Watch State Farm’s ‘Severance’-inspired ad from Ben Stiller and Highdive

As Gen Z grows up, they’re moving into their own homes and buying their own cars—and that means getting their own insurance. State Farm tackles the issue of “severing” from parents’ insurance in a new campaign collaboration with “Severance.” A spot starring Jake from State Farm alongside actor Adam Scott, who plays Mark S. on the Apple TV+ show, began running this week, midway through the second season of the popular series. The campaign was originally scheduled to air ahead of the Season 2 premiere on Jan. 17, but State Farm delayed the work because of the Los Angeles wildfires. The insurer also canceled a planned Super Bowl spot. Also read: 20 brands resonating with Gen Z right now The new 60-second spot was directed by “Severance” Executive Producer and Director Ben Stiller. The show, which debuted two three ago, is about people who willingly undergo a procedure to separate their work lives from their personal lives. In the State Farm ad—which takes cues from the first episode of the series—a confused young woman wakes up and is told that she willingly decided to undergo “Severance,” the procedure that severs her from her parents’ auto insurance. She panics before Jake steps in to help. “Insurance is very well understood by the 50-year-old crowd, but they’ve got these kids that are going to graduate or get ‘severed’ by insurance as they step into adulthood—that’s been on our mind in general,” said Alyson Griffin, head of marketing at State Farm. “We’re always looking for ways to be in culture and meet customers where they are.” NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today Many of the props, such as the TV and green carpet, are the same items that are used on the show. The campaign, which was created with Highdive, will roll out on YouTube, digital and social channels. Along with the hero spot, the work includes a 30-second spot and a separate 15-second video; in total, the campaign will feature seven unique pieces of content, Griffin said. Jake teased the campaign on TikTok earlier this week. OMD handled media duties. @jakefromstatefarm Can you guess where I am?📍 #Severance Season 2 is now streaming on @Apple TV ♬ original sound - Jake from State Farm As part of the new campaign, the insurer will direct viewers to an online experience that has a side for parents and a side for young adults. While the resources aren’t new, the presentation is. “We’re packaging it together so it’s a one stop spot for people to dig in and understand,” Griffin said, noting the strategy is a test-and-learn. “This is the first time bridging them together,” she said, adding that the media targeting includes both “Severance” watchers and consumers in their 20s. This is not the first time State Farm has teamed up with Apple. The company previously worked with “Ted Lasso” actor Cristo Fernández last year. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today

Watch State Farm’s ‘Severance’-inspired ad from Ben Stiller and Highdive

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