Farmers Insurance is bumping up brand awareness by rolling out an omnichannel campaign containing Facebook carousel ads and a mobile-optimized site featuring consumers? most interesting claims stories.

As mobile strategy continues to permeate the insurance industry, Farmers Insurance is ensuring that it kicks off 2016 on the right foot by maintaining a presence on digital and social channels. Integrated ad units will drive individuals to a new mobile-optimized site, where consumers may explore the ?Hall of Claims? with audio narration provided by brand spokesman and Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons.

?Mobile is an integral piece of our strategy to drive brand awareness and consideration for Farmers,? said Amanda Reierson, head of digital for Farmers Insurance, Los Angeles. ?Our goal is to reach customers on their screen of choice with what we think is a very engaging campaign that delivers on our brand promise of making customers smarter about insurance every time they interact with us.?

Tapping into humor
Farmers Insurance?s new campaign, ?We Know From Experience,? aims to demonstrate to consumers that the brand is able to cover some very unique ? and potentially outlandish ? claims. Individuals seeking a new insurance firm for the new year ahead may be prompted to select Farmers Insurance as their top choice after visiting its new mobile site.

Ad units will soon be deployed to prompt mobile users to visit the site. Consumers can also access the humorous take on claims stories by visiting www.farmers.com/hallofclaims on their smartphones.

The "Hall of Claims? showcases some of the brand?s most unbelievable ? but true ? insurance claims. Users can scroll through the carousel-like format to read a small synopsis of each story and click on the audio button to hear Mr. Simmons describe the accompanying photo for each piece.

?The mobile-optimized Hall of Claims is designed to draw consumers in to an immersive experience that makes some of the most unbelievable claims covered by Farmers come to life,? Ms. Reierson said. ?This digital destination is an integral piece of the multi-media campaign that kicks off this week.?

For example, one submitted claim saw a Farmers Insurance customer notify the company that her home had been burgled, leaving the furniture ransacked and the cupboards emptied. However, the true culprit of the story ended up being a brown bear.

Mr. Simmons then offers a dramatic yet humorous interpretation of the photo accompany the story, which features a bear?s head poking through the wooden walls of a cabin.

Each claims story ends with the phrase ?How can I be covered?? emblazoned on the screen. Users may click on it to learn how Farmers Insurance would approach such a unique situation. In the case of the bear burglar, Farmers claims it would cover any damage done by the furry intruder.

After reading about coverage policies, consumers have the option of clicking on the ?Find an Agent? button, which brings them to Farmers Insurance?s mobile site, where they may browse local agents.

The mobile-optimized microsite also allows individuals to call for an insurance quote by selecting the option in the drop-down menu. The phone number will automatically populate itself in customers? smartphones.

This strategy will likely resonate positively with mobile-savvy consumers, particularly millennials who have purchased their first home or vehicle and are looking for a new insurance policy. The humorous angle with which the claims stories are told will leave a lasting mark on many consumers, especially those seeking to add a few laughs to their work commutes or lunch breaks.

Omnichannel engagement strategy
Farmers Insurance is making sure that its campaign leaves a strong digital footprint by planning to roll out ad placements on AOL and Yahoo, as well as full-page takeovers on the New York Times, CNN and Forbes sites.

Facebook carousel ads will be included in this strong push toward mobile, as will a series of mobile and online videos detailing individuals? claims stories.

Farmers Insurance is not the only marketer in its industry gearing up to market to digitally-savvy consumers.

Several weeks ago, Allstate Insurance paired college football rivalries with its well-known Mayhem campaign to ignite a battle on Twitter that saw the losing teaming get shredded in a live stream (see story).

?There are a number of media channels we?ll be utilizing to support the We Know From Experience campaign, including Facebook carousel ads,? Ms. Reierson said. ?As we launch the campaign and begin building momentum with consumers, they?ll be able to begin experiencing the carousel feature this week.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Marketer, New York