• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, August 5, 2016

Just in time for the Olympics, State Farm today is debuting the second anthem ad under its new “Here to Help Life Go Right” brand positioning, which the company unveiled in June.  The new campaign is from DDB Chicago. 

The spot premiers on network TV and will be featured in what a spokesperson for the agency called “high-profile” placements. State Farm is advertising during the Olympics although not tonight during the coverage of the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. 

The new spot is an emotionally-charged, 60-second unit entitled “Yin Yang,” which plays off the duality of life’s moments, demonstrating that State Farm isn’t just there when things go wrong, but also helping with things like saving for college, getting a new car loan and planning for retirement. 

The spot opens with a tornado scene that quickly shifts to a disaster shelter then back to the tornado and then, somewhat surprisingly, to a dance scene at a wedding. 

“What if an insurance company wasn’t only there when things went wrong,” intones the voiceover. “Because for every tornado there’s a twister [referring to the wedding dance].” 

The spot continues to juxtapose scenes of serious mishap, like an car crash with “an even bigger collision,” as the scene shifts to a little leaguer jumping into the arms of his soldier-mom. Crime is juxtaposed with “stolen hearts” (i.e. a new-born). An out-of-control fire is positioned with a birthday celebration (cake and lit candles included). 

Reinforcing the point, the ad continues, “State Farm understands it doesn’t just mean being there when things go wrong” but about being there for everyday moments like weddings, college (and financing tuition) and other big-life events.