Few marketing leaders face the unique challenge of keeping a century-old brand at the cutting edge of culture, but Patty Morris has made it her specialty as Head of Brand at State Farm. Morris oversees the brand’s marketing strategy and execution, which spans paid, earned, owned and social media, sponsorships, brand management, and creative development.
Her deep expertise comes from 26 years at State Farm, where she’s collaborated on iconic campaigns from “Discount Double Check” to “Agent State Farm” and “Bateman vs. Batman.” Her proudest achievement is leading the State Farm brand refresh in 2019, including the evolution of the famed “spokesfluencer” Jake from State Farm. The challenge of keeping a 103-year-old brand relevant has made Morris particularly adept at spotting cultural forces before they hit the mainstream.
Named to our Marketers to Watch list in partnership with The Wall Street Journal, Morris shared her insights on maintaining brand relevance in fragmented media environments, the collapse of traditional marketing funnels, and the importance of agility in modern marketing leadership.
What book or podcast do you recommend to marketing leaders?
I’ve been listening to The Marketing Millennials lately. It’s useful, topical, plain marketing talk. And their Instagram account is so funny.
How are you and your team currently using AI?
Leveraging innovative technology is critical to staying relevant in the fast-moving world of marketing. Part of this is learning how we can responsibly use these new tools, including AI, to help accelerate our work – making us more efficient in how we reach and engage our consumers. It’s helping us scale our creative assets, and there’s so much potential. We’re finding our way.
What’s a prediction you have for marketing over the next few years?
The collapse of the funnel is changing how consumers engage with brands and content. They expect more and more personalization. They don’t want to feel seen; they want to feel understood. As a result, brands will have to deliver personalization to prove they value and understand the consumer. AI is changing what is possible, and I think that will continue at an accelerated pace.
What’s the most innovative or exciting project you’ve worked on recently?
One of the most innovative projects I’ve worked on recently was the State Farm “Severance” campaign. We transformed a typically stressful milestone into a culturally relevant, engaging brand moment by partnering with Apple TV+’s Emmy®-winning show “Severance” to offer help when young adults age out of – or “sever” – from their parents’ auto insurance. Leveraging the show’s unique narrative about separating work and personal lives, we created a co-branded spot featuring Jake from State Farm in the iconic opening scene, resonating deeply with Gen Z’s anxieties around “adulting.”
This campaign not only positioned State Farm as a trusted, culturally attuned insurer but also delivered impressive results: 228.8 million earned impressions and 13.7K social engagements in just four days. It was innovative, culturally relevant, and helped alleviate a consumer pain point.
What’s the most pressing business challenge you’ve faced in the last year and what have you done to solve it?
Keeping a 103-year-old brand relevant in an increasingly fragmented environment. There’s no longer just one channel that will guarantee you reach your audience, let alone engage them. One way we’ve navigated this is by implementing creators across our channels, including Jake from State Farm, who has 1.4 million followers on TikTok. Our brand has a proven knack for spotting cultural forces before they hit the mainstream and helping them reach the next level. We’re not just part of culture – we help shape it. We recognized the power of content creators and their relevance early, and have been partnering with and investing in them to continue to authentically reach the next generation.
What leadership muscle is most important for marketers to exercise?
Agility and change adoption. If you’re not changing, trying new things, adopting new tech, and new ways to connect with consumers, you’re not just stagnant, you’re behind. It’s exhausting but also exhilarating.
What’s the most game-changing piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
“If you’re not failing, you’re probably not trying hard enough.” I learned that failure, mistakes, and being uncomfortable are your biggest sources of growth. Once I accepted that, it unlocked my willingness to take calculated risks, which has been a critical component of success.
What gives you energy and inspiration outside of work?
Definitely travel and new experiences – anything that gets me out of my normal routine.
Marketers to Watch is a recognition series to spotlight highly innovative and forward-thinking marketing leaders in the community. If you have someone you’d like to nominate for the series, apply here.
