The Power of Storytelling in Women’s Sports With State Farm

State Farm‘s long history of championing women’s sports goes beyond just advertising.

In this episode of Yeah That’s Probably an Ad, ADWEEK chief experience officer Jenny Rooney sits down with our 2024 Champion of Change Kristyn Cook, the chief agency, sales and marketing officer at State Farm.

Cook talks about the various ways State Farm supports athletes, including sponsoring leagues like the WNBA and partnering with other brands, the power of fan loyalty, and how brands can support women’s sports with meaning and without falling flat.

This is the third part of a three-episode sports marketing series presented by Ally. Listen to the full episode here, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Here are four key takeaways from the episode:

Brands need to be intentional about supporting women’s sports

Cook emphasizes the alignment between State Farm’s business purpose and personal purpose in supporting women’s sports. The brand has a long history of championing women’s sports, and the involvement goes beyond just advertising. Cook talks about the various ways State Farm supports women’s sports, including sponsoring leagues like the WNBA and partnering with other brands. Visibility is key to promoting women’s sports.

Know your audience, support your audience

Women’s sports fans are deeply loyal and digitally savvy, making them an attractive audience for State Farm. State Farm works to drive positive change for women athletes through supporting initiatives like name, image, and likeness (NIL) management and financial planning.

People don’t wake up thinking about insurance

Cook acknowledges that insurance is not something people get excited about, but a character such as Jake From State Farm, as well as athletes such as Chris Paul and Patrick Mahomes help make the brand relatable and likable. It’s only through maintaining their authenticity and relatability that this cut-through can continue.

Remember what it’s all about

State Farm is grounded in its mission of helping people, so that must be at the forefront of its messaging. This means everything they do from a marketing standpoint must align with their business outcomes. The insurance company focuses on three business outcomes: capturing current demand, generating future demand, and cross-sell and retention. Every strategy decision is made around these priorities.