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State Farm Looks to Engage Cycling Community

3:26 PM EDT on April 4, 2008

Responding to criticism of an ad depicting a humiliated office worker forced to bike to his job due to high gas prices, State Farm Director of Marketing Communications Tim Van Hoof writes:

I’m sorry this commercial offended anyone. State Farm has been asupporter of bicycle safety through the thousands of bicycle rodeoswe’ve held for children throughout the US and Canada, and we are opento discussion about how State Farm may be able to work with thebicycling community in the future.

This advertisement is part of an overall campaign where we attemptto capture consumers talking about points in their lives. Our intentionis to recognize and empathize with these everyday challenges, andprovide ways State Farm can help.

State Farm is also very concerned about doing what we can to improvehealth, safety and the environment in our communities. If you'd likemore information on what we’re doing, go to statefarm.com.

To View the overall ad campaign please go to: https://youtube.com/watch?v=profile_videos?user=statefarm

Thanks for writing, Tim. Streetsbloggers, what can State Farm and other insurers do to improve conditions for cyclists and others who routinely get around without a car? Pay-by-the-mile auto insurance? Cessation of the use of the word "accident" in referring to every car crash? An auto fatality trust fund to pay for safe streets initiatives?

Other suggestions?

Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York'’s dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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