'Patrick from State Farm': Mahomes in Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium a marketing win

Super Bowl television commercials are among the event's most anticipated staples, besides its halftime show and the game itself. Companies pay millions of dollars for 30- to 60-second spots to market their products with comedic and futuristic ads as a vast chunk of the world's population tunes in.

State Farm Insurance will have one of the biggest product placements ever by having one of the company's most recognizable endorsees — Patrick Mahomes — playing in Super Bowl 57 at State Farm Stadium.

State Farm has owned the stadium's naming rights on an 18-year commitment deal since September 2018.

Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback who was named this season's MVP at the NFL Honors ceremony in Phoenix on Thursday, has appeared in six State Farm commercials since 2020. He will compete for his second NFL championship in three years.

For "Jake from State Farm," the character that appears in the ads with Mahomes, "It feels our family member is out there and he’s going for his dream."

Kevin Miles, 32, from Chicago, was hired for the "Jake" role the same year Mahomes began being featured in the ads.

"Just being about to support that is just the best thing," Miles told The Arizona Republic. "Patrick is such a great person that you want to support him when you know him. You see how hard he works off-camera to do this. I think that’s why we love him. He always puts his best foot forward and always gives his all.”

"Just being about to support that is just the best thing. Patrick is such a great person that you want to support him when you know him. You see how hard he works off-camera to do this. I think that’s why we love him. He always puts his best foot forward and always gives his all.”

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The brand has featured several other famous pro athletes and entertainers in its ads, such as the Suns' Chris Paul, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, WNBA stars Sue Bird and Jonquel Jones, Houston Rockets' 7-foot-5 giant Boban Marjanović, and hip hop superstar Drake.

But Mahomes has become the most popular from his funny ads with Jake.

Miles explained what makes the State Farm's ads so infectious in their ad treatment and creative process.

“Truly it’s everyone involved. The writer and people who put the entire concept together for the year, so it’s the team," Miles said. "It’s tight-knit, it’s a good family, that’s what everyone sees.”

Insurance ads are ubiquitous on TV these days, with companies going for any hook — from geckos to ducks to the guy who personifies mayhem — to remain on people's radar. Their products can be a hard sell, especially for those in the targeted younger demographic who are dealing with all sorts of demands on their finances besides worrying about insurance.

The marketability and appear of the 27-year-old NFL star and "Jake from State Farm" have drawn sports fans and young customers to State Farm. Kristyn Cook, State Farm's chief marketing officer, didn't disclose sales numbers, but admitted there has been a "good spike" from the company's ad campaign involving Mahomes.

“First and foremost, we want to entertain, always,” Cook said. “That’s really important that we inform who we are. 'Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,' and we’re gonna be there for you when you need us, and Jake is the ultimate good neighbor. So I think he is what makes it for us.”

Some of the notable commercials Mahomes with "Jake" include being on a film set featuring Rodgers, Drake and actor Paul Rudd, Jake and Mahomes with Rodgers at a steakhouse, Mahomes playing a sneaker salesman to Jake, and Mahomes giving his shirt to a young fan at football practice. The runaway funniest of them is titled "Nap Time" with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, which first aired in October 2022.

Reid's public persona is known to not be the most animated and he tends to give shorts answers during news conferences and interviews. But the legendary coach played a believably hilarious prankster on the Chiefs' team plane, drawing mustaches on his personnel — including Mahomes — with a permanent marker. When Mahomes approached him about his practical joke and caught him red-handed, Reid looked suddenly shocked and conspicuously threw the marker away.

“The State Farm commercials are awesome, especially when your coach in there is Coach Reid. It’s always a busy day,” Mahomes said to The Republic about what the average day is like filming the commercials.

“We get a lot of work in, but I’m grateful that they chose me to represent them and get to do it at State Farm Stadium and hopefully go out there and get a W.”

Mahomes' top passing target, Travis Kelce, told the Republic that Reid's appearance in the State Farm ad is his favorite. Kelce would like to join Mahomes and Reid in a commercial soon.

“I’ll definitely do some State Farm commercials. I’ll draw some mustaches on people," Kelce said, laughing. “You get Andy Reid in any commercial, I’m in.”

Mahomes said he didn't know if State Farm will run a commercial during Sunday's game, like they've had featuring Jake oin the past three Super Bowls. But he definitely wants a follow-up ad with Reid to make another funny mark for State Farm.

“They’ll probably have a commercial going. I haven’t shot any that they have out there but we’ll see," Mahomes said. "Hopefully next year we’ll shoot a couple and hopefully we get Coach Reid back and have a sequel to that.”

Whether the Chiefs win or lose on Sunday, Mahomes playing at State Farm Stadium is a wide open touchdown for the company's product marketing plan.

“He’s an incredible athlete and when you think about our brand in particular and wanting to be the best at taking care of customers, too. Aligning with the best is really important," Cook said. "To have State Farm Stadium, Patrick, Jake, and just the State Farm Stadium Challenge (on social media app Tik Tok), too, it’s the best of all worlds for us.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mahomes in Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium a marketing win