How Listening Transformed State Farm’s Sonic Identity
Most people know the State Farm jingle. It’s catchy, instantly recognizable and has been in use for over 50 years – Thanks Barry Manilow. But what they don’t know is that the version you hear today almost didn’t happen.
When State Farm set out to evolve their iconic audio logo, they did what many large brands do – they brought in a larger global agency. On paper, it made sense. But sometimes, the bigger the agency, the harder it is to listen. To slow down. To understand what’s really needed.
That’s where we came in.
By the time we were called, the project was at a crossroads. The creative wasn’t resonating. Teams were frustrated. The sound was either overthought or underwhelming, and no one could agree on what success looked, or sounded, like.
To be honest, at this point I was very concerned about not being able to deliver on this one. A highly talented, reputable and much larger agency failed on this – How is the small team I assembled going to be able to deliver on such a huge opportunity?
Identifying the Disconnect
Upon our involvement, it became evident that the project was suffering from a lack of clear communication and alignment. The original jingle, penned by Barry Manilow in 1971, had become deeply ingrained in American culture. Any attempt to update it required a nuanced approach that honored its legacy while making it relevant for today’s audience.
It wasn’t a talent problem. It was a communication problem. Stakeholders weren’t being heard. Strategic intent was getting lost between stakeholders. Creative decisions were being made in silos. And the voice of the brand – the emotional heart behind State Farm’s simplicity – was fading into noise.
Pretty quickly after being briefed in, we identified the primary issues and adapted to a different approach. We didn’t just present more options. We paused. We listened. We translated the brand’s emotional DNA into sonic intent. We spoke with internal teams and operators, not just marketers. We treated the project not as an ad campaign, but as a functional, identity-driven design challenge.
Designing for Distinction, Grounded in Clarity
We stripped the sound back to its core – the melody. Then we built upward – strategically and collaboratively.
We identified three simple areas that would guide our design process and aligned with stakeholders on each of these to ensure we were on a path to success.
Future Forward
Building in sound design to fit alongside the new motion logo was a first idea that not only matched the new look, but also modernized the feel. Moving toward being “future forward” as opposed to “futuristic” which is where the previous agency ended up.
Genuine Empathy
Rounding out the edges of the melody was another key factor that grounded the composition to feel warmer, human and timeless.
Calming Confidence
To build trust, we wanted to stay consistent with the iconic melody. The melody is where the equity is built so if we keep that, we can flex in timbre in texture to be dynamic in expression.
The Outcome
The final result was a refined, emotionally resonant audio logo that felt timeless, but newly alive. Something that didn’t just sound branded, but felt like State Farm and had legs to extend into the future. It’s now one of the most recognizable audio marks in the world. According to Veritonic’s Audio Logo Index, State Farm’s updated audio logo achieved the highest correct brand association in the index at 81%. I’d take that as a win.
What This Project Taught Us
The State Farm project reminded us that brand sound design is never just about sound. It’s about communication. Alignment. Clarity. It’s about knowing when to lead and when to listen and to be honest, this was one of the easiest projects we’ve been a part of. Too often, agencies over design, trying to make sound “ownable” before making it useful. In this case, the most ownable element is the melody which allows flexibility in timbre and texture.
We’re proud of this one. Not because it was big, but because it was right. And we were trusted to bring it back to life when it needed it most.