@nickerickson88
Young Adults are consumed by countless responsibilities and social commitments*. School. Jobs. Pick-up basketball games. Movies. Concerts. They told us they perceive themselves to be the single busiest generation ever. They use social media to enable every aspect of their busy lives.** They told us they don’t use their time to think about getting in a car accident or having their apartment robbed. They are preoccupied with balancing their hectic schedules and searching for new ways to connect. More than anything, Young Adults value their time. Young Adults told us State Farm is “outdated, expensive and a hassle.” They told us the insurance agent is “unnecessary, an extra complication, and an added built-in cost.” Circle Advertising’s campaign addresses these misconceptions by positioning State Farm as: • A value and a convenience, saving Young Adults time. • Competent users of social media, meeting Young Adults where Young Adults meet. • The pre-eminent insurance agent network, freeing Young Adults to do their thing.
Circle Advertising’s 53 members, hired in September, presented the 4th Annual Warlocks and Witches Ball in October. This served as our initial team-building exercise, where we conducted our first wave of primary research among Young Adults to gain insights into their attitudes about insurance. Our three-month research initiative culminated on February 4 in a Chapman sound stage with Rompe, a five-hour event where we translated our research into key campaign insights leading to our creative Big Idea. Our Big Idea rationalizes a logical, researchbased advertising strategy, media plan, promotional program, PR calendar, and creative executions. Through implementation, we tested two of our signature events: the “Get Covered” promotion and the “Next Breath” PR event. Again, we don’t just tell you what we will do; we show you what we did. Every Circle Advertising member is an expert in social media. When you hire Circle, you inject social media into your marketing DNA. When a Young Adult experiences an unfortunate situation that requires an insurance solution, it is a State Farm agent who steps in and takes charge, Freeing Young Adults to continue with their busy lives. Feel Free shows State Farm not only insures the cars, laptops, TV’s and bikes of Young Adults, it insures what they value most. 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.”
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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 • Agent-based business model • Long history of growth and success
• • • •
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Disproportionately low penetration of Young Adult market Ignorance of agent benefits Inconsistent advertising Social media
• • • •
Reposition State Farm to Young Adults Leverage State Farm’s Agent benefits Exploit social media Target Hispanics
• • • •
Multiple agent-based models: Allstate, Nationwide, Farmers Young Adult preferences for online communication Highly saturated insurance market Young Adults’ perception that agent based model is outdated
...and found out they don’t understand you research impressions man on the street interviews california hotspots
professional interviews
college campuses
events TOTAL SURVEYS general insight surveys
warlocks & witches attendees get covered attendees
parent surveys
next breath attendees
Initial research surveys and impressions were conducted at the Warlock’s and Witch’s Ball
independent young adult surveys psychographic surveys hispanic surveys
diaries
focus groups
media diaries agent diaries
Branding focus group that provided insight on the effectiveness of State Farm’s messaging and recall versus its competitors
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 auto collision specialists, social media experts, lawyers and the director for the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy gave us insights on Young Adults in relation to insurance.
Man on the Street Interviews at UNLV that provided valuable qualitative research insights
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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 pricesensitive and for the first time are purchasing insurance without their parents’ assistance. They crave convenience, which causes them to prefer online models.
of Independents live in an off-campus apartment or house (without a parent or guardian)
of Independents have the same insurance provider as their parents or guardians
of Transitionals regard their family as the most trusted resource when it comes to choosing an insurance company
of Transitionals said price was one of the determining factors when choosing an insurance company
of Independents have State Farm insurance
Secondary: Transitional Transitionals are in between dependence and independence. This movement provides the perfect opportunity to engage our market at a time when they want to be considered adults.
of Transitionals said having an insurance agent would influence their final decision
Young Adults look for three leading factors in insurance:
want Good Rates/Prices
want their claims paid fairly and promptly
want honest and trustworthy representatives
of surveyed Hispanics spoke both English and Spanish fluently
more likely to download digitial content than the average US adult internet user*
of the total online population is made up of Hispanics and is expanding more than 50% faster than the overall US online population*
Tertiary: Hispanic Our Hispanic target is as wellversed in pop culture as any group in the US. Their definition of culture revolves around work, life and play. They also display a higher usage of mobile Internet and cell phone features, allowing us to connect to them through fresh initiatives.
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* “U.S. Demographics are Changing… Are Your Marketing Plans Ready?” study by The Nielsen Company
...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 generation before them. Over-saturation of the market has made them immune to messaging, especially in brands they cite as irrelevant. With brands that engage them however, brand loyalty is extremely high. State Farm is not this brand.
To Young Adults, Agents seem outdated and boring. They view Agents as pushy and associate them with car salesmen. Presenting the value that an Agent offers will motivate Young Adults to switch providers.
• 11 out of 12 Young Adults correctly identified the State Farm logo • Of those 11, less than half could recite the tagline
Low Involvement Mindset Insurance ranks low on the Young Adult priority list, creating another barrier for State Farm. Their limited knowledge of insurance keeps them from discussing it, making it difficult to engage them. “I don’t think car insurance has ever come up in a conversation with my friends” – Male, 21, Brand Awareness Focus Group
* Source: http://www.statefarm.com
“I wouldn’t trust the Agent, just because I’d know he’d be trying to sell me stuff…” –Female, 20, Focus Group Participant “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 While the majority of Young Adults do not see the benefits, those with an Agent express deep appreciation for their services. Translating this to the rest of our market is key to creating incentive to switch providers. “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
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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 Purchasing a high-ticket item, such as a car, immediately brings insurance into Young Adults’ minds. By focusing on competitive pricing and the personal touch of an Agent, State Farm can generate interest for their services.
Graduation This is a generation of aspiration. Whether heading into college or the professional world, fiscal success and responsibility dominate their consciousness. State Farm has an opportunity to assist Young Adults as they take 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.
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Moving (Off Campus/Out of the House) When moving out on their own, Young Adults’ mindsets transition from dependent to independent as they begin to realize the value of material property. This is an Occasion of Opportunity for State Farm to better lives by providing peace of mind in the form of Renters insurance.
Accidents Fifty-six percent of Young Adults said they primarily think about insurance after getting into an accident. State Farm can reinforce the value of the Agent by emphasizing the time an Agent saves.
finding our place and investing in ideas PERCEPTION MAP
RETURN ON IDEA
We analyzed the industry and found a lucrative position that State Farm can own.
The current ROI model doesn’t take into account the full make-up of a brand. We developed a framework to measure the return on idea.
(where we want to be)
(3yr long term)
BRAND OBJECTIVES
10%
18%
8%
top of mind
projected percentage current percentage
relevancy
perception of quality
92%
45%
22% 19%
difference
We will reposition State Farm as valuable and convenient. The valuable and convenient position is currently vacant, allowing State Farm to capture first-mover advantages. Repositioning State Farm allows it to become more appealing to Young Adults and differentiates it from other agent-based competitors, such as Allstate.
awareness
being there
16%
trust
projected percentage current percentage
compentency
A brand is no longer what we say or do, but what people think and say about us. Goals must be meaningful to our audience, in their terms, not ours. Because the insurance industry is a slow yielding industry where significant monetary returns can’t be expected within a single year, we developed a framework that measures long-term brand value.
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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: • • • • • • •
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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
...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: • Altering reality • Altering the Agent • Celebrating reality
We determined the best approach was to celebrate real-life situations and the Agent who enables you to experience them. State Farm’s strength, as a real-life company with real-life values, should be celebrated and not compromised.
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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.
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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 Feel Free message.
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.
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Affirmation Emphasize post-purchase services and reward State Farm advocates for spreading Feel Free.
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
Anything we purchase, including traditional advertising. Vehicles include: television, radio, print, outdoor and digital.
Anything that gives our audience an opportunity to invite us into their lives, making State Farm a topic of conversation through word-of-mouth and PR endeavors.
• :30 spot - ABC, ESPN, Galavision, Univision • Print - Allure, SI, Motorcyclist • Online - Yahoo! Telemundo, Hulu takeovers, Keywords & Paid local search
* Source: TBWA/MediaArtsLab
• Viral Video • Next Breath • World Cup - Kick-Off
owned Any existing touch point we have, such as our agents, offices and Web sites that enhance and reinforce our message. It is usually overlooked and often turns out to be the most cost-effective. ex. buildings, shopping bags, fleet • Branded postage • Big Red Couch • Collision Card
created Any new media vehicles that have been designed and created specifically by us to deliver our message uniquely. ex. spectaculars, phone applications, branded video games • Parking lot takeover - major sporting events and concerts • iPhone Game - Go, Play, Win! • Guerilla Executions
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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 support the introduction phase of the brand cycle by creating brand interest and building familiarity.
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We will use earned media to reach Young Adults and build a presence and brand advocates.
We will employ owned media to translate the positioning phase of the brand cycle to Young Adults and define State Farm’s value.
We will reinforce value using created media because it demonstrates State Farm’s service benefits.
We will use created media to place emphasis on post-purchase services and reward State Farm advocates.
To respect and refresh State Farm’s established style, our Creative Strategy will encompass the following elements to deliver all messaging: • We will connect the perception of value with State Farm Agents by positioning them as time savers. • We will remain effective and relevant to Young Adults by creating 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.
With these elements combined with the previously presented guides, we are confident that our executions will maximize effectiveness for both the messaging of the Feel Free campaign and its successful reception.
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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.
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kicking off our campaign This spot will launch at the beginning of the World Cup in June and help to build awarness for the Feel Free campaign. It will air on both ESPN and Univision, capturing our Independent and Hispanic markets. The spot will run from June 2010 until March 2011 with a pulsing strategy that alternates air time with our radio spots.
:30 second spot - “Carry On” The Young Adult’s seamless transition between events in his day establishes the idea of constant motion, reinforcing the value of a State Farm Agent as a time saver. By running the commercial in reverse, we shift the focus from his accident to the Feel Free moment that follows. He is able to live life normally because his Agent takes care of the accident.
Male steps out of undamaged car
Walks away from car in backwards motion
Keys fly from his hand into another hand
Walks backwards into a sushi bar
Sits down with his date
Talks with her over a finished meal
Eats sushi at the table
Waves and walks away from table backwards
Walks out of restaurant
Jogs onto a soccer field
Juggles soccer the soccer ball
Dribbles backwards down the field
Appears in front of an office
Enters a conference room full of businesspeople
Papers fly from the table into his arms
Walks by his car, now damaged
Appears worried, seeing his car
Gives his keys to the agent 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 without stopping to deal with an unexpected event.
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making the online connection... Hulu Page Take Over A State Farm Agent will enter the screen and invite the viewer to watch their show commercialfree. 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.
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...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 experience on public transportation. Those waiting to board the bus will experience the Feel Free message, illustrated by the big red couch decal.
OUTDOOR BILLBOARD “GAME TIME�
Bus Wrap/InTERIOR TAKE-OVER
This billboard is one of two that will be used. One will mirror the magazine print ad and the other will create brand awareness, using State Farm red and the Feel Free logo.
(Not Pictured) The bus wrap will depict a damaged car and a helpful Agent opening the doors 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.
The ad portrays the seamless transition from the Inhale to the Exhale moment as our Young Adult is empowered to carry on from his unforeseen event.
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it’s been there, whether you knew it or not THEIR INFO
Name:
____________
Policy Number:
___
Address:
____
se:
____
___
____________
___
Place:
____________
___
Persons invo
____
______________
_
____
Driver’s Licen State/License
lved in accid
ent:
____
s: THEIR INFO
YOUR INFO
____
All witnesse
___
____
____
Name:
____
____
___ Policy Number:
_______________
Address:
er: Y 3547961
_______________
_______________
Driver’s License:
____ ___Y 3547961 Policy Number: All John Name: Smith _______________ _______________ witn esse s: ____ __ ____ Address: 421 Grand__ St. Orange, CA 92867 _______________ __ _
Driver’s Licence: D9801359 _______________
_______________
State/License Place: _______________ Agen Name/Nu Personst involved inmbe accident: r: Alex___ Diez___
State/License Place: CA/GIW868 _______________ Persons involved in accident:
______ _______________
___
Nam All witnesses: e: John ______ Smit ______ h___ _______________ Policy Number: Y 3547 _______ 961 Address:421 ________ Gran __ __ d St. __ Oran __ ge, __ CA 9286 __ __ 7_ Driver’s Licen se: D980 1359 _______ _______ State/License
YOUR INFO
Name: John ______ Smit ______h ___ Policy Number: Y 3547 Address: 421 ______ 961 _________ __ Gran __ d __ St. Oran __ge, __ CA __ 9286 __ 7_ Driver’s Licen ce: D980 1359 _______ ________ State/License Place: CA/G IW86______ ______ 8 ___ Persons invo lved in accid ____ ent:
_______________
All witnesses: _______________
_
Place: CA/G
IW868
____________
Y 3547961
___
Feel Free Website FeelFree.com will include information on our initiatives, contests and will link to our social media networks and the State Farm homepage.
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:
Big Red Couch 20
Sitting areas in State Farm offices will be supplemented with red, branded couches. These allow the Agents to build a more comfortable and relaxing environment in their office, mirroring the support and comfort an Agent provides.
“Whole wide world meet Austin. Austin, meet the whole wide world. Take some time to get to know each other.”
if it doesn’t exist, we’ll make it
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Go. Play. Win. Go. Play. Win. is an iPhone game that prompts users to take pictures of State Farm logos encountered in everyday life. This interaction encourages them to visit various State Farm offices where they can find clues to win a variety of prizes.
TODAY,
parking is on us
SMS Platform (not pictured) State Farm customers can send a text to a specific number, which will return a text with their policy information.
Parking Lot Take-over State Farm will utilize major sporting events and concerts for their parking lot take-over initiative. They will buy out the entire lot, covering the cost of parking for attendees. Instead of a traditional parking voucher, they will receive a State Farm branded free parking pass for the entire day.
Laptop Vinyl Sticker Copy: Sometimes the best office work is done outside the office so Renters insurance can cover your laptop ANYWHERE you go.
Bike Tire spoke insert Copy: Renters insurance covers your bike everywhere you go. So go somewhere.
Example: Parking lot takeover of Lady Gaga concert, MLB Playoff games and music festivals.
Branded Packaging Tape Branded packaging tape will act as a reminder of our brand at one of the Occasions of Opportunity, moving.
Auto Kit
Move-in Kit
An auto kit includes everything a Young Adult would need if something were to happen to their car.
A move-in kit will provide commonly forgotten items used during the moving process for our Transitional market.
44 USA For about the price of 4 STAMPS, you could add Renter’s Insurance
Branded USPS Stamps State Farm branded stamps remind our market of the low cost of Renters insurance.
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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.
next breath Objectives • Develop a public service campaign communicated through social media • Reach 150,000 Young Adults through events and social media efforts • Gather awareness and support for local and global charities
Research OF YOUNG ADULTS*
prefer to contribute to charities focused on child wellbeing and disaster relief
prefer to volunteer for a charity
prefer to donate in other ways
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*based on a psychographic survey of 533 independents
prefer to attend a concert instead of a sporting event, gala, carnvial or others
would not donate.
prefer to donate money
Event We tested our Next Breath event and chose to benefit UNICEF. It featured three expressions of feeling free: art, music, and writing. • ART - Local artists donated pieces and made them 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?” while the other read “What makes you Feel Free?” Attendees wrote on the board to share their experiences with each other. To further publicize the event, live tweeting was displayed 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.
social media is our forté WE ARE TRAINED
WE ARE AWARE
Circle Advertising incorporates talent from a spectrum of majors at Chapman University, the most dominant being Public Relations and Advertising (PRA). Internet Communications, a required course of PRA is dedicated to the study of social media and its effects on marketing. Required reading includes top selling social media books:
In past campaigns we have incorporated Facebook, YouTube, and Blogs yielding incredible results. Feel Free gave us the perfect opportunity to use these mediums in conjunction with Twitter. We designated a Twitter Task Force to research and educate the team on Twitter and maximize its potential with tools such as Tweetdeck. We observed conversations that involved State Farm directly (@ statefarm) as well as indirectly (tweets that included #statefarm or “state farm”). We found three influential insights:
• Twitterville: How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods • Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers • Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies
• Many people unknowingly gave positive testimonials regarding their experiences with State Farm • @StateFarm created organic conversation with followers regarding customer service and initiatives • De-marketing campaigns were initiated on the grassroots level with twitters such as Angela Russell (@State_Farm_Sucks) and Larry Chiang (@larrychiang)
Professional Interview with social media expert and author of Trust Agents, Chris Brogan
WE ARE ACTIVE We used twitter to inform followers of the progress of Circle Advertising (#chapmanpra, #nsac) and promoted our events by linking to our Facebook event pages. We also developed hash tag channels within the #nsac channel to communicate internally. Circle Advertising dominated the conversation that existed in the #NSAC channel by maintaining over 80% of the tweets from October 2009 – March 2010. Near the completion of this book, the conversation eventually spread to NSAC participants across the country and created conversation. Proof of our influential strategy with social media was given to us when schools across the nation began to implement Circle Advertising-created @LarryChiang hash tags and jargon into their conversations.
Case studies and strategies featured in these books were used collectively to shape the curriculum. Outside of the classroom Circle Advertising attended two major events that featured experts on social media. A presentation by Seth Godin, author of Linchpin and an interview with Chris Brogan, author of Trust Agents, These three relevant insights became integral when shaping our provided valuable insight into the ever-changing realm of social media. social media objectives for Feel Free.
@State_Farm_Sucks
“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
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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
Young Adults want to connect with each other and with brands that have something worth saying. It is important to stay connected and engage conversation in new and relevant ways.
Initiatives: The Give Away Giveaway! Utilizing Twitter, State Farm will announce their presence online. Followers of @StateFarm will be randomly selected to have $1000 donated to a charity of their choice. A new follower will be picked everyday for a year. Followers qualify by including their Feel Free moment and tweeting at @StateFarm and #FeelFree. Using the #NextBreath hashtag, @StateFarm will announce contest winners and charities.
The State Farm YouTube Channel will not only be a destination for current commercials, it will be the resource for everything State Farm. 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: • Next Breath Events • State Farm Philanthropic Events • World Cup Promotion – Kick-Off
SUPPORT:
The Social Media Taskforce (National Level) A division within the Public Relations team called the Social Media Taskforce will maintain accounts and keep tabs on trends in the world of 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 of the Next Breath event. State Farm will participate in conversations to share their ever-present philanthropy efforts and post opportunities for fans to volunteer at upcoming events. Links to all charities that received $1000 from The Give Away Giveaway will be posted, as well as the names of the donors.
The Social Media Taskforce will train State Farm agents on Twitter, ensuring they are competent and able to converse with Young Adults. Implementing Twitter will redefine how the industry utilizes social media to connect to Young Adults. Communicating in a public forum increases Young Adults opinion of trust and transparency of a brand. Below are some examples of typical conversations that would benefit followers:
Next Breath Flickr Page
• Answering basic insurance questions • Local State Farm event information • Discounts that State Farm offers
The popular photo gallery site will feature a Next Breath Flickr page. This gives the Next Breath community a place to share their experiences from Next Breath events. The gallery will feature volunteers’ and attendees’ photos and stories from the events.
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State Farm’s YouTube Channel
Marketing materials will feature the Agent’s Twitter handle so customers can follow local conversations. Ex: @SFAgent_JJameson
making the best of a bad situation Strategy Feel Free brings State Farm into communities by extending its reach through live-event promotions. These events break all three barriers and provide a reprieve from the busy lives that Young Adults lead. Each event has been carefully considered to target Independents, Transitionals and Hispanics in various locations.
Get Covered Get Covered incorporates situational sets, a paint splatter station and a dance party to evoke the Feel Free moment. It builds a platform for our audience to relate to, breaking the barrier of Generational Disconnect. It also breaks the barrier of Low Involvement by encouraging our audience to take part in staged accidental sets that remind them of the 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.
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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 State Farm will partner with CARFAX to create a Common Issues tab, which will include pros and cons of specific car models. This partnership builds State Farm’s brand value and hits the Occasion of Opportunity of Purchasing a Car.
Zingo Designated Drivers Zingo Designated Drivers will motorbike to the State Farm customer, put their bikes in the customer’s trunk and drive them home. We will partner with Zingo to celebrate the responsible friend – the designated driver – by giving them a night off to Feel Free with their friends and know everyone has a safe ride home. The partnership will begin in the month of March to hit the Occasion of Opportunity of Graduation, as this is when people begin to think about their next step. Since this program doesn’t reach all of our targeted cities, we plan to work with them to expand nationally.
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Ikea Partnership A partnership with Ikea will increase awareness of Renters insurance and will hit the Occasion of Opportunity of Moving Out. As a copromotion, we will set up our staged accidental sets from Get Covered in major cities using Ikea products. Expanding on Ikea’s current initiative, when people take the furniture from the set, the product description will be revealed. Each piece of Ikea furniture will have a traced outline on the floor identifying the name and price of the product in relation to the benefits of Renters insurance.
Hulu.com – If I Can Dream If I Can Dream is an online reality show, streamed by Hulu, which follows the stories of five 20 – 25 year-old actors as they chase their dreams of stardom in Hollywood. State Farm will support their endeavors by sponsoring acting coaches for each house member. If 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.
...and hitting the road PR & promo timeline
Get Covered will be implemented in parking lots of large music venues and university parking structures nationwide. It will be organized by Everything Events & Entertainment beginning June 2010. Everything Events previous clients include: Disney, Charles Schwab, GEICO, NFL, Gatorade and many more.
get covered
WORK EXCHANGE TEAM
Red Bull, a partner of the signature event, will utilize its established infrastructure with its street teams to promote the event in each of the targeted cities, concentrating on college campuses and local hot spots that attract independents.
May
“If I ca n Dream” ca rf ax
IKEA
WORLD CUP
JUNE
Ju ly
AUG.
SEPT.
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
JAN.
zingo
FEB.
Mar.
APRIL
MAY
next brea th unisef blogger 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 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 nationwide charities.
national roll out map
SALT LAKE CITY 181,000 Westminster BYU Utah Utah State
MADISON 231,000 UWisconsin St. Paul
COLUMBUS 754,000 Ohio State MINNEAPOLIS 382,000 UMinnesota
CHICAGO 2,835,000 UIllinois
INDIANAPOLIS 798,000 UIndianpolias PHILIDELPHIA 1,540.000 Temple UPenn Penn State
HARTFORD 124,000 Yale Trinity Uhartford
BOSTON 620,000 BC, BU Emerson Harvard Northeastern MIT Tufts
PORTLAND 582,000 Portland State Reed Lewis and Clark
NEW YORK 8.300.000 NYU Barnard
SAN FRANCISCO 808,000 USF SFSU Berkeley
LOS ANGELES 3,849,000 Chapman UCLA USC Loyola Marymount
WASHINGTON D.C 591,000 George Washington Georgetown American Howard LAS VEGAS 607,000 UNLV
PHEONIX 132,000 ASU
DENVER 598,000 Boulder UDenver
DALLAS 1,M279,000 SMU AUSTIN 757,000 UTexas St. Edwards
MEMPHIS 669,000 Rhodes UMemphis
ATLANTA 536,000 Emory Georgia, Tech Spelman
BALTIMORE 636,000 Johns Hopkins UBaltimore
CHARLOTTE 687,000 Duke, Johnson and Wales UNC Queens Kings MIAMI 413,000 UMiami
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2010-2011 EVENTS PAID PRINT magazine-(OP4C) magazine-insert ONLINE homepage takeover hulu show sponsorship keywords & paid local search OOH billboard building corner billboard transit audio poster transit interior poster bus shelter bus wrap TELEVISION :30spot television RADIO 3-day station sponsorship EARNED twitter: #feelfree facebook fan page viral video PR NEXT BREATH next breath event next breath twitter account The Great Giveaway Giveaway
next breath fan page next breath flickr foursquare badge PROMOTIONAL EVENTS get covered work exchange team FIFA kick-off contest carfax sponsorship zingo sponsorship ikea spectacular “if I can dream” sponsorship OWNED collision card feel free website big red couch collateral redesign greeting cards CREATED branded packing tape vehicle kit move-in kit Go. Play. Win. parking lot take-over SMS platform spectaculars guerilla promotional items branded stamps
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June ‘10 July ‘10 Aug. ‘10 May ‘10 Sept. ‘10 Oct. ‘10 3 10 17 24 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1
Graduation
Memorial 4th of July Day
World Cup
Nov. ‘10 Jan. ‘11 Feb. ‘11 March ‘11 April ‘11 Dec. ‘10 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25
Labor Day Halloween Thanksgiving
Christmas Hanukkah
MLK Jr. Day
March Madness
May ‘11 2 9 16 23
Mother’s Day
TOTAL impressions production /000,000
/000 ($)
cost /000,000 ($)
10,517.4 830.7 32.0 29.6 6,915.7 14.6 0.8 14.8 3,457.9 3,457.9 14.8 7.0 2.8 254.3 12.5 1.1 138.6 7.5 103.6 5.0 1.2 5.1 n/a 12.1 665.6 159.8 3.1 126.4 2.3 74.6 5.2 49.4 119.9 50.2 4.2 1.6 14.2 8.1 5.6 660.4 21.6 11.2 879.6 3.0 4.5 570.0 10.0 1,360.1 570.0 10.0 1,360.1 1,321.7 58.8 14.4 1,321.7 14.4 58.8 496.8 180.0 0.9 n/a n/a 7.6 8.4 n/a n/a 2.0 0.0 100.0 0.4 25.0 80.0 6.0 0.0 57.6 n/a 3.4 n/a n/a 0.4 8.5 n/a n/a 30.2 51.2 0.0 18.0 0.0 4.3 6.6 0.4 21.1 320.5 50.7 0.0 122.4 45.1 42.5 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.6 1.8 0.1 7.0 0.1 n/a 0.0 0.0 53.6 1.3 0.0 95.0 7.9 40.7 885.1 0.9 0.1 0.1 28.4 0.1 267.4 35.0 5.4 524.0 0.5 0.1 0.1 30.0 0.1 35.5 0.1 396.1 3,460.0 4.8 0.0 11.1 2.1 295.5 0.3 3.5 0.3 5.1 236.4 1.2 40.6 200.0 150.6 193.1 2.0 6.0 0.2 165.0 4.0 0.3 387.0 332.5 0.3 178.5 0.1 0.01 138.0 0.2 5.7 235.7 total impressions 1,155,906,600 total production cost $5,355,766 grand total
$38,783,700
for parties of 17 million or more, gratuity is included
Paid
$31,338,268
Created
$1,361,119
Earned
$845,980
Owned
$71,257
Created
$3,459,918
Paid
$830,772
Owned
$885,136
Earned
$179,990
Commission
$800,000
Contingency
$227,610
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Evaluation (metrics)
PITCH
We will evaluate our campaign through market share increases and monetary gains.
State Farm is at a crucial crossroad. Young Adults are transitioning into roles of responsibility and developing habits that will carry on through the rest of their lives. State Farm has a dwindling window of opportunity to reach these Young Adults before they develop brand loyalty elsewhere. This is where we come in.
Auto: We will increase State Farm’s market share in the Young Adult Market by 4.2% pts. We predict increases of: by breaking the barrier of misconception by breaking barrier of low involvement
by breaking barrier of generational disconnect by retaining dissatisfied current customers
Renters: We will increase market share by 1.7%pts. This percentage breaks down to: increase in conquest sales
incrase by up-selling current customers
Industry research of successful and unsuccessful campaigns determined this number to be reachable and conservative.*
POsT-TESTING
Young Adults want a brand that understands them and meets them where they meet. Feel Free does that. By re-positioning State Farm as convenient and valuable on all channels, especially social media, State Farm will begin to foster what will later mature into a profitable relationship. We’ve shown you not only what we will do, but what we’ve done and how it has been effective. In an age of uncertainty, State Farm is currently torn between two seemingly mutually exclusive needs: • Breaking through industry clutter • Remaining true to themselves Circle Advertising provides a way to do both. A way to remain true to State Farm’s values and engage in conversation with Young Adults. A way to inspire them. A way to Feel Free to be State Farm.
Feel Free was put through rigorous testing and 81.3% of those presented with it liked the message, stating: • “Feel Free makes me think of a weight being lifted.” • “The tagline says Feel Free to do what you want, and we will take care of things for you.” • “The freedom to do whatever you want, and still feel confident that things will be taken care of the right way.” • “The message sells confidence and security.” • “It makes me think that the agent would have my back so I don’t have to be there.” • “Selling confidence through a state of mind.” • “To me these ads sell to 18-25 year olds who are on their own for the first time. They are college aged, away from mom and dad, making a big transition. It shows that with State Farm the transition can be made easy.”
30 *Source: www.iii.org
How we calculated the numbers Auto: • 714,000 customers gained: 17M people X 4.2%. • $942M revenue: 714,000 customers X $1319.14/yr (average premium). Renters (Conquest): • 13.6M potential customers: 17M people X 80% (percentage of renters). • $26M revenue: 13.6M people X$192/yr (average premium). Renters (Up-sell): • 145,000 customers: 5% X 2.9M (number of State Farm Young Adult customers). • $3.5M (0.7% market) revenue: 145,000 customers X $24/yr (average premium). Profit: • $48.6M in profit: $971.5M total revenue X 5% (industry average mandated by govt*).