With 50 years of airtime under their belt, the muppets of Sesame Street have seen it all—which is probably why Farmers Insurance tapped some of the show’s OG characters to star in its latest ads, all of which remind viewers that the 91-year-old company has been around long enough to know how to handle even the most peculiar of insurance claims.
Created by RPA, the effort is the latest iteration of the brand’s ongoing “We Know From Experience” campaign, better known by spokesman (played by actor J.K. Simmons) Professor Burke’s oft-repeated line: “We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.”
In this latest series of ads, the cast of Sesame Street reenacts some of the real-life claims that Farmers Insurance has covered over the years.
One features Grover trying—and failing—to fix a water heater, while another shows Count von Count’s lawn mower bursting into flames during a thunderstorm.
In a third, the Sesame Street crew asks Professor Burke if Farmers Insurance can help out with some of their own conundrums, like broken cookie jars and lost rubber ducks.
The spots are airing on networks including NBC and CBS during college football, MLB and NFL games. They will also run on Hulu and BuzzFeed.
“Over 85 million adults watched ‘Sesame Street’ as children and many more have enjoyed the show with their kids,” said Leesa Eichberger, head of brand marketing at Farmers Insurance.”Blending the universal appeal of the ‘Sesame Street’ characters with Farmers’ iconic ad campaign will enable us to demonstrate our knowledge and experience with an entertaining twist that will breakthrough with nearly all viewers.”
According to Farmers Insurance, the brand has made a concerted effort in recent years to insert itself into “engaging cultural moments.” Earlier this year, the insurer celebrated Dr. Seuss’s 115th birthday by creating a book of its own called “The More That You See” that featured the author’s characters and signature style.
Last year, a Halloween-themed campaign showed vampires and mummies talking about life insurance.
