Join us Sept. 14-16 in Miami to connect with top publishing leaders
Hashtags are a familiar feature of TV commercials these days. They’re easy to tack on to any campaign, and they can add a splash of social to humdrum TV spots.
State Farm is channeling Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” in an attempt to ignite social buzz with its DDB Chicago-created TV campaign, running since last week. The new spot is a twist on its long-running “Jake from State Farm,” starring the jealous wife castigating her husband for talking to State Farm rep Jake late at night, mistaking Jake for another woman.
But about 12 seconds into the spot, the screen flickers, fills with static, and a hashtag appears at the bottom of the screen: “Don’t change the channel. There’s nothing wrong with your TV,” followed by “May 11 – #TuneInEarthlings.”
State Farm clearly hopes that the teaser will result in some serious social buzz in the lead up to, well, something. The @JakeStateFarm handle, which has a respectable 337,000 followers, has been responding to distressed Twitter users since the spot aired, reassuring them and also telling them to be sure to tune in to the #AskJakeAnything tweet chat on May 11, where all will be revealed. State Farm comms folks are getting in on the action too with pre-crafted Tweets:
Whoa Jake! Did I hear alien voices during your commercial? #AskJakeAnything 5/11 @ 2PM CST on @JakeStateFarm for answers! #tuneinearthlings
— Cheryl Willis Blakes (@SF_CherylWB) May 5, 2015
So far, the campaign doesn’t appear to be making much of an impact, however. According to Topsy, #TuneInEarthlings has only generated 857 tweets in total. The good news: State Farm has another week to build momentum. Stay tuned, earthlings.
More in Marketing
Carhartt aligns with the NFL through the tradespeople building Highmark Stadium
Carhartt is finding a way to tap into football season that goes beyond partnering with the athletes themselves.
Future of Marketing Briefing: Soccer’s World Cup buzz isn’t moving needle on Premier League ad spend
The World Cup was a success for broadcasters, but marketers looking to capitalize on rising interest in soccer must navigate a diffuse landscape of sporting properties and fan identities.
Three years after Kokai, The Trade Desk is betting on refinement with Zuma
The Trade Desk wants Zuma — the next version of its programmatic platform, Kokai — to be easier to use, and even harder to leave.