Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there\u2014\u201cthere\u201d being the Netflix show Running Point<\/em>.<\/p>\n Today, the insurance company announced a collaboration with the streamer, which includes a co-branded ad featuring characters from Running Point<\/em>, the basketball-centric comedy starring Kate Hudson. As part of the deal, Jake from State Farm is set to appear as a character in Season 2 of the show.<\/p>\n State Farm has inserted Jake in fictional worlds before, but only in ad form, and having him show up in an actual television show is a first, according to State Farm Head of Marketing Alyson Griffin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like to create conditions over time that allow us to take advantage of lightning in the bottle, should it present itself, and this is one of those moments,\u201d she said. \u201cJake from State Farm is a character unlike any other that moves in the world, really<\/em>\u2014that can show up to support a Caitlin Clark in the stands, who can dap up Travis Scott in real life, who can walk around Coachella, who will be in the stands with Mama Kelce at an NFL game. It\u2019s like he is real.\u201d<\/p>\n While getting Jake cast in a show is a new move for State Farm, the effort is indicative of the company\u2019s broader approach to brand marketing, which Griffin said revolves around using assets like Jake to get involved with major sports and entertainment moments to drive reach, engagement, and buzz.<\/p>\n The ad features Hudson as Isla Gordon, president of the fictional basketball team the Los Angeles Waves, and Chet Hanks as Travis Bugg, a player known for landing himself in hot water. \u201cYou put the team at risk,\u201d Gordon tells Bugg in the spot.<\/p>\n Enter Jake \u201cwith the assist,\u201d which also happens to be the name of State Farm\u2019s ongoing basketball campaign platform. Jake spends the rest of the ad helping Bugg narrowly avoid disasters, like putting his foot in his mouth during a postgame press conference, microwaving tinfoil, and fighting with a ref.<\/p>\nSupporting cast<\/h2>\n