# How Jake from State Farm became advertising's icon

> State Farm's 15-year journey to turn an insurance character into a cultural phenomenon.
- Title: How Jake from State Farm became advertising's icon · Adweek
- Summary: State Farm's 15-year journey to turn an insurance character into a cultural phenomenon. Building a memorable brand character requires patience, cultural…
- Keywords: state farm, jake from state farm, brand marketing, advertising characters, kevin miles, brand building, cultural relevance, super bowl advertising, brand mascots, customer connection, Jake, State
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-jake-from-state-farm-became-advertisings-most-famous-neighbor
- Author: Brittaney Kiefer
- Published: 2026-09-17T17:18:50+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: state farm, jake from state farm, brand marketing, advertising characters, kevin miles, brand building, cultural relevance, super bowl advertising, brand mascots, customer connection
## The problem with being old
State Farm had 104 years of brand awareness but struggled with relevance. Insurance is low-interest and intangible, so the company needed a character to personify the brand and help people connect.

> People do not wake up every day thinking about insurance. It's a super low interest category.
## Jake Stone starts small
In 2011, State Farm cast a real call center employee named Jake Stone for a 24/7 customer service campaign. The ad became a cult classic and ran for over five years.

> quickly became this cult classic
## Nine years later, Jake returns
After the original campaign ended, social media showed people still cared about Jake. State Farm cast actor Kevin Miles to revive the role in 2020, choosing someone charismatic who shared the brand's values.

> Make Jake famous
## The Super Bowl moment
State Farm's brief to agencies was simple: make Jake famous. The brand entered the Super Bowl for the first time with Jake alongside Drake, creating a cultural moment that launched the character into the mainstream.
## Jake goes everywhere
Today Jake appears on Jeopardy, in Halloween costumes, on Saturday Night Live, courtside at NBA games, at Coachella, and in the metaverse. His cultural presence proves the character resonates across audiences.
## Three rules for brand characters
State Farm's head of brand shared key lessons: only create a character if it aligns with your brand, stay agile to match cultural trends, and cast someone who genuinely shares your values. Building connection takes patience and a thousand small moments.

> This is not something that happened overnight.
## Key takeaway

Building a memorable brand character requires patience, cultural agility, and casting someone who genuinely shares your brand values.