MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – As the popular television commercials featuring Lebron James clearly exemplifies, State Farm Insurance understands that corporations must speak to diverse demographics in culturally relevant ways to engender brand loyalty.
For example, State Farm’s Pamela El and LeBron combined forces in very relevant ways. They are the first sponsor of the LeBron James Family Foundation project to construct playgrounds all over the country. Ceremonies and unveilings have already taken place in New Orleans and Miami.
“When we do community events, we use Lebron James for some things. Does LeBron James attract the affection and loyalty of the African American community? Absolutely. But we also know that he goes a long way with moms and dads of any ethnic group,“ says El, State Farm’s senior vice president for marketing. “LeBron’s brand resonates with young people. He goes a long way with Hispanic teenage boys and Hispanic teenage girls. So that’s the cross-cultural effect that we’re looking for.”
Unlike other corporations, State Farm doesn’t broadbrush the world with a single cultural stroke. They understand that different subsets and demographics have wonderfully unique passions, desires and aspirations and they try to address those distinctions via their campaigns.
“Here’s one of those touchy subjects that we must talk about at a multicultural conference. African Americans … they speak English. Why do anything different for them?” El asked rhetorically. “Again, it’s about the cultural insights. We know from talking to our African American customers what’s important to them. Being in the community, living the brand and supporting the efforts that [are] most important to them — that’s what resonates with them.
Their authentic devotion to inclusion is one reason, El elucidates, that State Farm is the nation’s largest car insurance provider, boasting a customer inventory that’s more than Progressive and Geico combined.
“We put our money and our time where it counts, in the heart of the community. When you combine the localness with our agents who serve in their communities, it gives us a great advantage in connecting in the multicultural audience. And this is where State Farm shines — and I would put us up against any other brand in how we do this,” she says. “We are not a company that just writes a check. Our agents and our employees willingly serve multicultural markets at the local level. That’s what State Farm is all about.” –terry shropshire
