• by Tanya Gazdik , January 29, 2024

While Super Bowl teasers aren’t a big deal, promotions that make you question whether something is an ad or an actual movie perhaps deserve more attention. 

If you watched NFL football Sunday, you likely saw that some glimpses of spots that will be gracing the Big Game on Feb. 11.

One features Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, who is playing Agent State Farm and is joining forces with Jake from State Farm actor Kevin Miles. However, the spot appears to be a teaser for an upcoming movie.  

Is State Farm really paying for product placement? Or is it simply a really good teaser for a later spot? 

The 30-second video on YouTube was released on Jan. 25 and already has more than 137,000 views. The copy on the post reads: “The origin story and heroics of Agent State Farm — an elite State Farm agent who goes to any length necessary to be the good neighbor the world needs. Coming 2024. Learn more at: https://Ag entStateFarmMovie.com"

“There’s a new Arnold Schwarzenegger movie trailer doing the rounds online. So, what’s the deal with Agent State Farm?” asks dexterto.com, an online gaming publication. “Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Agent State Farm isn’t a real movie – it’s a commercial. So technically, the trailer is a commercial for a commercial.”

“The trailer serves as an advertisement for the forthcoming series of commercials featuring Schwarzenegger as the protagonist—an elite State Farm agent committed to being a good neighbor,” according to The Economic Times. “According to State Farm’s official synopsis, the future commercials will likely showcase the character joining forces with Jake, State Farm's everyman spokesperson, portrayed by Kevin Miles."

The two actors were spotted in mid-January during the filming at Gold’s Gym in Los Angeles, according to the Daily Mail whose paparazzi generated a series of photos from the shoot. 

“Brands have increasingly looked to big-time celebrities for Super Bowl campaigns in recent years, with names like Matthew McConaughey, Will Ferrell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and even Elton John on the list,” notes the USA Today Ad Meter, which has logged the teaser spot on its website. 

“This is Arnold’s second appearance on advertising’s biggest stage. He appeared as Zeus in BMW’s 2022 commercial, which also starred Selma Hayek, and finished seventh in the Ad Meter ratings.”

State Farm is running the spot on its Instagram page.

Since history is knows to repeat itself, simply take a look at what Schwarzenegger did two years ago when he appeared in similar teasers on Instagram that portrayed him as Zeus, the Greek God of the Sky. 

The 2022 Instagram post generated over 1.7 million likes and speculation over whether the film is real. “The stunt is actually an ice breaker for BMW’s upcoming Super Bowl spot, in which Schwarzenegger dons a beard and gold battle armor to order a macchiato from a confused barista,” according to The Drum.

So maybe expect the same from Schwarzenegger and State Farm on Feb. 11. Sorry to ruin the surprise.