State Farm has reversed its plans to advertise during the Super Bowl, citing its focus on supporting customers impacted by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
“Our focus is firmly on providing support to the people of Los Angeles,” said a spokesperson for the brand in a statement. “We will not be advertising during the game.”
The decision comes as the insurance company faces backlash for canceling 72,000 policies for houses and apartments in the state last year — many of which covered homes that have now been lost in the fires that have battered Southern California.
State Farm serves more than 8 million customers in California and its customer contact rate is 90%, according to information shared with Marketing Dive. The company has received over 7,400 home and auto claims and is doling out “tens of millions of dollars” to customers.
“Our claims force is the largest in the industry and we are bringing the full scale and force of our catastrophe response teams to help customers recover — whether they are on the ground in LA or across the country,” per the statement.
Super Bowl commercial inventory is sold out and Fox has reportedly created a waitlist for brands looking to buy time if it becomes available. Taco Bell, Dove and several Anheuser-Busch InBev brands are among the game's major advertisers.
State Farm in 2024 aired a 60-second commercial during the Super Bowl that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as an “Agent State Farm” character. The spot was made with HighDive along with agencies OMD, Optimum Sports, The Marketing Arm, Infinity Marketing Team and FleishmanHillard. State Farm had not yet announced any details about its planned Super Bowl spot for this year.
State Farm's marketing in recent years has paired its Jake from State Farm character with various culturally relevant figures, especially from the world of sports. The brand in 2023 tapped into fan interest in the relationship between Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce and has also advertised during NFL, NBA and WNBA games.
The brand’s decision not to appear in the Super Bowl might not be enough to stem the tide of bad headlines related to the insurer’s work in California. Rather than retreating from advertising, the crisis is an opportunity for the brand to live up to its “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” slogan, according to Amanda Lucey, CEO of marketing and communications agency The Partnership.
“This is a prime opportunity for State Farm to showcase how they are supporting their communities and tell those stories. Rather than shying away from impact, they should lean into it — developing a more integrated approach that aligns crisis communications with their broader marketing strategy,” Lucey said in emailed comments. “This isn’t just about a Super Bowl ad — it’s about connecting with customers when it matters most.”
