State Farm 'Born To Assist' - Steve Stoute Interview

State Farm 'Born To Assist' - Steve Stoute Interview

To continue their 'Born To Assist' campaign, US insurance company State Farm have turned to Translation, a full-service advertising agency focused on the intersection of pop culture and brands, to create a brand new spot featuring NBA All-Star and #1 point guard in the NBA, Chris Paul. The spot, directed by MJZ's Craig Gillespie, follows both Chris and his long-lost twin brother 'Cliff' as they both go about their lives assisting others – Chris on the court, Cliff at State Farm. Comedic and playful, and featuring a great performance from Mr Paul as both himself and his twin, the commercial utilizes its star-endorsement smartly and with maximum brand-connection. We chatted to Translation's Founder and CEO Steve Stoute about the shoot, his relationship with Chris and the integration of celebrity and strategy.

The new spot you've created for State Farm featuring NBA All-Star Chris Paul is all about assisting. Was it a creative concept that you needed to find a figurehead for or something that came out of the inclusion of Mr. Paul?

Essentially, Chris Paul is the most talented point guard in basketball, and his main job is to assist. At State Farm, their agents represent that same notion of service. It's the selfless act of helping others, and I felt that commonality would lead to some great creative insight.

How did you come up with the 'Prince and the Pauper' style story? Was it something the client were into from the start or did they take some convincing?

I would say that calling it a "Prince and the Pauper" story is an exaggeration, but it does follow a similar storyline of two brothers in two different classes of service. We are celebrating our belief that assisting people has the same relevance and importance as assisting on the basketball court. Our partnership with the NBA has been very important in bringing this story to life.

How was the shoot?

First and foremost, Chris Paul is a professional. He gave the amount of time needed in order to develop the Cliff Paul character. Chris is a natural as an actor, so it was really an effortless shoot.

There's always a risk with non-actor celebs that their performances in ads can be a little… stilted, but Chris does a great job here. Did you know he was a bit of a thesp before presenting the concept? Was it hard to coax a performance from him?

I am happy to say that Chris Paul is a friend of mine outside of our working relationship, and I knew he had the personality to play the role beforehand. It was a pleasant surprise to see HOW well he played the role once he was in front of the camera.

Do you feel that having a high-profile celebrity endorsement like this encourages potential customers to trust the company, or is it more a case of having the face involved so the spot gets seen and shared by more people?

I think that if people believe that there is a natural relationship between the brand and the celebrity, then it can help people believe that the product works, or that what the brand stands for really means something. There is a use, and an abuse, of utilizing the celebrity as a critic. Translation's unique approach of identifying a strategic insight - and using a celebrity who has traits that amplify that insight – is the way that we've been successful over the years when employing celebrity endorsements.

Any plans to show the further adventures of Cliff?

Absolutely.

If you could choose a sportsperson to handle your insurance, who would you pick?

Chris Paul, of course.

What's on the slate for 2013?

Great work for Bud Light Mainline, exciting new creative around Bud Light Platinum, and the continuation of the Chris Paul adventure.

Published on 16th January 2013