Hats Off for Thinking Different – Farmers Insurance is creating their own original brand.

This post starts with the same first paragraph of one of my other posts: What works for one brand should work for another, right? GIECO set a new standard in the insurance industry 20 years ago with a totally innovative and unexpected  approach to car insurance. They turned the rest of the old school insurance industry on their ear – they thought this approach would never get customers because no one would take them seriously – after all insurance is very serious stuff. But they kept the message simple – you know it, “15 minutes could…”. For 20 years that’s been the message, consistently, and is still the message today. Unwavering commitment to one thought. They showed the industry that they could entertain and not only succeed but dominate the car insurance space.

So, setting the stage with that statement, let’s look at Farmers Insurance. I’m impressed that Farmers Insurance was able to take their very old established brand and give it a modern update without trying to copy the GEICO formula. Other than to just infuse humor into the messages. It’s like a breath of fresh air. Not only is it different from GEICO but it is engaging and unique to their brand.  They now have their own brand voice and they are thinking independently.   

The Farmers Insurance University campaign is so well done. The use of actor J.K. Simmons as the university professor is brilliant. His status as an accomplished actor, his delivery, his personality give the professor character a believability that is remarkable.

This campaigns hits on all cylinders for me. It carries the message that there are actual Farmers agents – real agents vs. online. It says that no insurance claim is too outlandish to not cover –  which opens the door to so many creative possibilities that they take advantage of by enacting the scenarios. This makes each spot even more interesting and engaging because there is an underlying reality to each outrageous claim, “And we covered it.” Then lastly they updated the Farmers logo and added a branded musical finish. The simple men’s chorus is so catchy I find myself singing it right along with them. It gets five stars for me.

So, my hats off to Farmers Insurance for originality, execution, engagement and memorability. To me this is what great branding is all about.