SUPER BOWL LX: THE $10M IDENTITY AUDIT | Case #1: State Farm
- Feb 16
- 3 min read
I grew up in a house where the Super Bowl wasn't just about the game—it was about the "Final Exam." My late father was a veteran in the advertising world, moving the needle for legacy giants like Pepsi and Canola. But beyond being a high-level executive, he was a philosopher of the craft and a published author—a path I eventually followed in my own career.
We would spend hours at the kitchen table dissecting 30-second spots, stripping away the glossy finish to find the actual human truth underneath. He believed that personal touch means everything. He’d always tell me:
"If you can't make them feel like you're sitting in the room with them, you've already lost them."
In 2026, we call that Creator Culture. Whether it’s a TikTok Live or a "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) video, the winners are the brands that stop "broadcasting" and start "kicking it" with their audience.
As we head into the weekend, I’m launching my 5-day Identity Audit of the commercial stacks hitting our screens. Today, we’re cutting into State Farm.
1. The Power Play: Sitting in the Room
State Farm’s clearance of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” is a brilliant move in Structural Anchoring. It’s the first time this anthem has been cleared for a Big Game ad. This is exactly what my dad meant about the personal touch. When that first chord hits, it’s a universal handshake. It’s an "I see you" to every Gen X-er and Millennial. By using a stadium anthem, State Farm makes a massive corporation feel as familiar and safe as a Friday night sing-along on your own couch. They successfully invited themselves into the room, and we didn't want to ask them to leave.
2. The Genius Move: The KATSEYE Catalyst
A brand is only as strong as its next generation. The inclusion of the global girl group KATSEYE—fresh off their Grammy nomination and their late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this week—is a sophisticated pivot. They are a strategic bridge to Gen-Z, moving State Farm from "the legacy choice" to the "first-policy choice."
3. THE STRATEGIC PIVOT: How I’d Maximize the Yield ⚡
While this campaign is 95% perfect at capturing the "feeling" of being in the room, there is a Final 5% Optimization that turns a 60-second commercial into a 365-day relationship.
The Missed Opportunity: In marketing, you never leave a bridge half-built. Spending $10M on a single spot without a coordinated, multi-pronged social blitz is a "Legacy Broadcast" mindset. It lacks the "personal touch" of a brand that wants to live where its audience lives.
The Instagram/TikTok Missing Link: If the goal is to make the viewer feel like you're in the room with them, why was there no native content series leading up to Sunday? They could have seeded the "Halfway There Insurance" parody as a viral meme on TikTok a week ago.
Imagine Hailee Steinfeld or KATSEYE vibing on a TikTok Live, reacting to fans' "Halfway There" insurance horror stories. That’s how you build a community, not just an audience.
Sonic Attribution: When you lead with talent like KATSEYE, you risk a "Discovery Leak." I would have implemented a Sonic CTA—a custom "Internet Girl" remix that weaves the State Farm jingle directly into the track’s bridge. It’s that personal, "Easter Egg" moment that makes fans feel like the brand is in on the joke.
Closing the Funnel: I would optimize the "Second Screen" experience by ensuring every fan who searches for the ad is met with a custom landing page offering a "First Move" insurance bundle tailored to young professionals.
The Verdict: State Farm has built a foundation that converts cultural hype into brand equity. They’ve proven that when you align sound, talent, and a sharp message, you lead the conversation. But in an era where personal touch is everything, did they do enough to actually connect, or did they just broadcast?
CAMPAIGN CREDITS:
Brand: State Farm | Agency: TMA (The Marketing Arm)
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Keegan-Michael Key, Danny McBride
Special Appearance: KATSEYE (HYBE x Geffen)
State Farm is future-proofing their legacy, but did they miss the "Second Screen" win? If you were managing this $10M stack, would you have bet it all on Sunday, or built a TikTok-first army? Let’s talk strategy in the comments.
#SuperBowlLX #MarketingStrategy #BrandIdentity #IdentityAudit #PersonalBranding #StateFarm #SocialMediaStrategy #IsabelleMereje
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