• by Aaron Baar , July 17, 2008

To many American consumers, auto insurance is more necessity than luxury, with many opting for the cheapest rate of legal coverage. With a new outdoor and experiential effort, State Farm is looking to better the image of car insurance, suggesting that selecting a better policy is like pampering your car.

In California--one of the Bloomington, Ill. company's largest markets--the company has set up "car spas" in two locations. The spas are two car washes that for two weeks will be decorated with State Farm's signature red and white colors. State Farm's familiar logo of interwoven circles has also been revamped, replacing the words "Auto," "Life" and "Fire" with "Peace," "Love" and "Drive."

The interior of the car wash has been decorated with "thought bubbles" of affirmations (such as "My car's rear end is as covered as mine") from car owners. At these car washes, owners can get cold drinks, a free massage--and of course, information about State Farm's policies.

"The whole message is about assuring people they can relax and that their car is covered," says David Oakley, creative director of BooneOakley, the advertising agency that created the effort. "State Farm gives you the coverage you need for that peace of mind."

In addition to the "car spas," the company has also employed guerilla techniques such as putting up a street installation of a four-door sedan in a giant bubble bath on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Billboards throughout multiple markets in the state (including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego) depict "different examples of ways cars are pampered by having the best car insurance," Oakley says. One billboard shows a car with acupuncture pins poking out of it. Other executions show cars doing yoga, getting aromatherapy treatments and putting cucumber slices on their headlights.

The tagline for the campaign, which will run through November, is "Experience Peace of Drive."

The entire campaign is intended to differentiate State Farm from the low-cost insurers who can undercut prices but may not have the same level of service as State Farm, Oakley says. "With car insurance, a lot of times you don't think about it until you're in an accident," he says. "A lot of people try to find the cheapest rate, but they pay for it when they have an accident. By treating your car better, you're treating yourself better."