Jake from State Farm is one of the most recognizable characters in advertising, but success didn’t happen overnight.
Turning Jake into a cultural icon has come down to patience, agility, and intentionality, according to Patty Morris, head of brand at State Farm. She spoke at ADWEEK’s Brandweek—with a special appearance by Jake himself—about the origin story of the iconic “good neighbor” and his path to fame.
How it started
It all began with a challenge common to many legacy brands. State Farm had brand awareness as a 104-year-old company, but “our challenge was relevance,” said Morris.
“People do not wake up every day thinking about insurance.
