How Chris Paul Became the NBA's Most Gifted Endorser(s)

IDEA: The most entertaining campaign airing now with an NBA endorser doesn't star LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade. It's Chris Paul's State Farm campaign—or more accurately, Chris and Cliff Paul's campaign. The "Born to Assist" ads, by Translation in New York, are based on a delightful idea, wonderfully executed—that the Los Angeles Clippers star was separated at birth from a twin brother he never knew. Chris, of course, became a three-time NBA assists leader. But Cliff is masterful at assisting, too—as a State Farm agent. It's a simple, almost perfect metaphor: that State Farm agents have assisting in their blood. And Paul, 28, a gifted actor, has quietly made it soar while playing himself and Cliff (in a mustache, glasses and ever-present argyle sweater). The latest spot extends the family, as Paul's real-life son Chris Jr. plays both himself and Cliff Jr. "It continues to convey State Farm's commitment to service from one generation to the next, and to provide the best value in the business," said Tim Van Hoof, State Farm's assistant vp of marketing. COPYWRITING: The new spot opens with Chris and Cliff using whiteboards to teach their sons the basics of assisting. "Twins Cliff and Chris Paul made it their pursuit to pass selflessness on to the next generation. And their children proved to be true prodigies," says the male voiceover. (With almost no dialogue, the VO tells the story in all the spots.) The ad goes on to show Lil' Chris excelling on the court, and Lil' Cliff doing so off it—by insuring his friends' new tree house "from his own State Farm branch" (of the tree). In the final scene, the Pauls, riding down an escalator, are shocked to see Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and what appears to be his own State Farm twin riding up the other side. The VO concludes: "A lil' assist goes a long way. No matter who it comes from." The writing is playful and faux mythic—a tone that's only becoming more assured over time. "At a certain point the voice leads, and I just follow," said Translation associate creative director James Cohen. ART DIRECTION/FILMING: "Visually, we want the world to strike the balance between reality and fable," Cohen said. "We like to play on the identical twin story by composing shots and sets that evoke their symmetry. We try to keep it subtle and make it pop here and there." The shots with Cliff and Chris are filmed twice and combined in post—"a logistical puzzle," Cohen admitted. Cliff loves his argyle, but "we don't think of him as a nerd," Cohen added. "He's an insurance agent with swagger." TALENT: The creatives chose Paul after seeing him on a talk show. "His charm is effortless," said Cohen. "He makes Cliff come to life and can turn the character on and off at whim." Chris Jr. was a pro, too. "Lil' Chris only takes direction from his daddy. What a prima donna," Cohen joked. "His mom Jada is helpful too … bribing him with ice cream to get the job done." Cool and calm, Curry was a great foil for Paul's cartoony look on the escalator. "Plus, he's had a ridiculous season, so we're happy about that too," Cohen added. SOUND: The music is a stock track that has a "whimsical, storytelling quality," Cohen said. With no dialogue, sound design helps "punctuate the storytelling with sounds and flourishes," he added. MEDIA: The campaign goes well beyond TV. Cliff has over 100,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram. Gamers can play NBA 2K14 as Cliff. And fans can buy Jordan CP3 iD shoes inspired by the twins that come in argyle and are "worn to assist." The future of Paul's relationship with State Farm has been complicated, however, by the racist rants from Clippers owner Donald Sterling. While there is no indication that State Farm doesn't want to work with Paul, the company is "pausing" its sponsorship of the Clippers franchise itself following the scandal. Also, Steve Stoute, founder and CEO of Translation, told ESPN that State Farm will no longer work with the team—and hopes a widespread boycott would force Sterling to sell the Clippers. THE SPOT: EARLIER SPOTS: CREDITS Client: State Farm Spot: "Future of the Assist" Agency: Translation Founder, Chief Executive Officer: Steve Stoute Group Creative Directors: Chris Valencius, Jonathan Graham Creative Director: Emily Sander Art Directors: Devin Sharkey, Danielle Thornton Associate Creative Director, Copywriter: James Cohen Director of Content Production: Miriam Franklin Director of Business Management: Debra Horvath Senior Vice President, Group Account Director: Ben Gladstone Account Director: Susanna Swartley Account Supervisor: Sara Daino Account Executive: Verena Zannantoni Assistant Account Executive: Stacia Andrews Producer: Melissa Nagy Production: Bob Industries Directors: Dayton/Faris Executive Producers: T.K. Knowles, John O'Grady, Chuck Ryant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton Production Supervisor: Jackie Hamilton Editing: Bikini Edit Executive Producer: Gina Pagano Producer: Brad Wood Editor: Avi Oron Assistant Editor: Gustavo Roman Postproduction: Brickyard VFX Executive Producer: Jeff Blodgett Producer: Linda Jackson Lead Visual Effects Artist: Mandy Sorenson On-Set Visual Effects Supervisor: Kathy Siegel Media: OMD

Brand Marketing

How Chris Paul Became the NBA's Most Gifted Endorser(s)

Chris Jr. joins the Chris and Cliff campaign

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd