DDB Chicago's latest Aaron Rodgers ad for State Farm begs a timely question: Are Cheeseheads more hard-core football fans than Brateaters?
Both camps appear in the ad, which takes place on a plane. Rodgers, the star quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, finds himself awkwardly seated between "Bob" and "Carl," two characters from Saturday Night Live's "Da Bears" sketches from the 1990s. Reprising those respective roles are actor George Wendt and satirist Robert Smigel, right down to the fake mustaches, "Chee-cah-go" accents and fan apparel.
It's an inspired seating arrangement, given the start of the NFL season—and the SNL season, for that matter. (The show's 39th year begins on Sept. 28.) And Rodgers, now in his ninth ad for the insurance giant, proves, as usual, to be a good sport.
He takes the middle seat, even though his ticket is for the window seat. He endures needling about being the "discount double-check guy." He even puts up with the smell of brats wafting from tray-table grills that the Bears guys flip down. Only in advertising, right?
Well, at least Rodgers has the support of a loyal Cheesehead. In yet another return performance, the curly-haired fan with the yellow foam cheese wedge on his head appears at the end of the commercial—on the wing of the plane, no less. "Rodgers!" he yells, before aping the QB's seatbelt move. Sadly, he loses his wedge in the process.
Oh, well. No doubt these now-familiar State Farm players will be back soon. After all, it's a long season.
CREDITS
Client: State Farm
Agency: DDB, Chicago
Group Creative Directors: Barry Burdiak, John Hayes
Associate Creatives Directors: Chad Broude, Brian Boord
Executive Producer: Scott Kemper
Production Manager: Scott Terry
Production Company: Arts & Sciences
Director: Matt Aselton
Editing Company: Cutters
Editor: Grant Gustafson
Finishing: Filmworkers Club
