Farmers Insurance is launching a campaign with Marvel's The Avengers to promote its partnership with the anticipated summer blockbuster set to premiere on May 4.
Developed by advertising agency RPA, Farmers said that the campaign features actor J.K. Simmons as the illustrious Professor Nathaniel Burke, with his usual six sidekick agents dressed up in homemade Marvel's The Avengers costumes touting, 'We're the superheroes of insurance!'
'Being associated with the much-anticipated Marvel's The Avengers gives Farmers advertising super-powers,' said John Ingersoll, vice president, advertising of Farmers Group, Inc. 'This opportunity lets us have some Super Hero fun with our established University of Farmers characters and shine some Hollywood limelight on our brand.'
In the TV spot, 'Suit Up' (:30), directed by Roman Coppola, Professor Burke and the agents explore the similarities between being a Super Hero and being a super agent. The spot continues with a lighthearted exchange between Professor Burke and his agents, dressed in do-it-yourself costumes representing each of Marvel's The Avengers' characters: The Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow and Hawkeye. A print ad by Marvel Custom Solutions recreates the TV spot in comic book form and will run in select Marvel comic books in May and June.
''Suit Up' marks the 20th spot in a campaign that has been very fun to develop. Every agent that steps onto the University of Farmers campus comes away with a ridiculous amount of insurance knowledge, so it's only natural to see our agents turn to super agents at this stage in the game,' said Tom Hamling, creative director at RPA.
A 2-minute 30-second behind-the-scenes video interviews costume designers, the prop team, and the super agents about incorporating Marvel's The Avengers into the University of Farmers spot. To extend the campaign on Facebook, six hand-drawn 'how-to' diagrams will be posted to help fans recreate the Marvel's The Avengers costumes as seen in the TV spot.
The behind-the-scenes video will live on Farmers' YouTube channel (youtube.com/farmers) and will be posted to Farmers' Facebook page (facebook.com/FarmersInsurance) with the six 'how-to' diagrams.
The TV spot will launch on April 16, on premium primetime programming including 'Dancing with the Stars,' '2 Broke Girls' and 'Biggest Loser,' and will run on cable networks that resonate with Marvel's The Avengers fans, such as AMC, Comedy Central, TBS, TNT and Discovery Channel. Integrated creative will also run online on ABC, CBS and Hulu.
Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group.
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