State Farm and creative agency Translation will premiere two spots during the NBA’s Christmas Day games as part of the launch for the company’s new “Challenge Your Assumptions” campaign. Suns G Chris Paul, a longtime State Farm endorser, will appear in the “Photo Shoot” ad with brand spokesperson Jake and Hawks G Trae Young. Jake returns in the “Rings” ad along with Mavericks C Boban Marjanovic. Both Young and Marjanovic are new additions to the State Farm roster this season, though they were previously featured in ESPN co-branded campaigns from the brand.
The overall campaign, which focuses on common assumptions fans make about the game, players and themes of basketball, will appear across broadcast, online videos, company social channels, athletes’ social channels and paid partnerships. Along with the two spots debuting Saturday, the campaign will feature multiple spots launched through May. Future spots in the campaign will feature other NBA players, coaches, a WNBA player and an NBA2K gamer.
State Farm returns as the presenting sponsor of the five-game Christmas Day slate of games on ESPN and ABC. State Farm has been an NBA league sponsor since ’10.