• by Danielle Oster , June 11, 2025

Auto insurance company The General enlisted T-Pain, and Bumblebee from the ‘Transformers’ franchise, to join Shaquille O’Neal in a new campaign developed in collaboration with creative agency Energy BBDO. The campaign applies a humorous approach to the concept that everyone deserves a break.

“We wanted to take the idea of ‘giving people a break’ into unexpected, entertaining territory,” Energy BBDO Group Creative Director Cassidy Buzin explained in a statement. “That meant tapping into pop culture and humor to show how The General truly understands its audience, who often view roadblocks in their life as a detour they have to laugh about.”

T-Pain takes center stage in “Break From AutoTune,” allowing the Grammy-winning rapper and singer to play against perceptions of him as “the auto-tune guy.”

In “Acting Up,” longtime brand ambassador Shaq has to call in the brand’s mascot for some help after struggling with his latest ride, Bumblebee.

Developed in partnership with creative agency Energy BBDO, the campaign is running in both English and Spanish-language versions, in 30- and 15-second iterations. Incorporating the Bumblebee character involved teaming up with the team at toy maker Hasbro, which owns the “Transformers” brand.

“Today’s consumers gravitate toward brands that don’t take themselves too seriously, and this spot shows how we can lean into that mindset in smart, strategic ways," Matt Proulx, Hasrbo’s senior vice president, global experiences, partnerships and music, said in a statement. "We’re always open to collaborations that amplify fun, drive engagement and bring our iconic brands to life in fresh, culturally relevant spaces.”