State Farm(R) Becomes a 'Big Star' With Disney-Pixar's 'CARS' Summer Promotions

State Farm(R) Becomes a 'Big Star' With Disney-Pixar's 'CARS' Summer Promotions

The Nation's Largest Insurer Revs Up to Promote the Upcoming Animated Feature, CARS, a Disney presentation of a Pixar film

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- State Farm Insurance is making history as the first property and casualty insurer to be a sponsor of a major film promotion. State Farm will play a major role in introducing the public to CARS, the latest movie from Disney-Pixar, the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of The Incredibles and Finding Nemo.

CARS is a fast-paced comedy adventure set in the world of cars. Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie racecar driven to succeed, finds himself unexpectedly detoured to the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs where he discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line. CARS will be in theaters June 9, 2006.

State Farm's CARS promotion is underway with this week's launch of the "State Farm(R) Countdown to CARS" Giveaway, which runs through June 19. Twenty-five lucky grand prize winners will each be awarded a 2007 Red Ford Mustang 2dr Coupe Deluxe car. Complete rules and the entry form can be accessed through statefarm.com(R).

In the coming weeks, State Farm will also present Disney-Pixar's "CARS Road Trip '06." The tour will bring live versions of the film's animated stars to several cities across the United States and make a special stop at the World Premiere of Disney-Pixar's CARS on May 26 in Charlotte, NC, at the Lowe's Motor Speedway.

On the advertising front, a new State Farm commercial called "Big Stars," featuring the characters portrayed in CARS, will start airing nationally the week of May 22. The mass media spots, created by DDB-Chicago and Disney- Pixar, emphasize the value of the State Farm agent and the quality of service customers receive.

"State Farm is excited about our involvement in the launch of CARS. It's a great opportunity to showcase our commitment to cars and drivers in a way that makes auto insurance fun and relevant to all ages," said Pam El, Vice President, Marketing, State Farm Insurance. "The theme of the movie and the mission of State Farm are very consistent. As the largest insurer of cars in the U.S., this is a perfect fit."

"We are thrilled to have State Farm as a promotional sponsor for Disney and Pixar's CARS. They have a passion for this film, and their philosophy of keeping drivers and passengers safe is a great message that will resonate with consumers," said Cherise McVicar, Senior Vice President, National Promotions, Buena Vista Pictures Marketing.

State Farm is also creating a limited-edition CARS North American road atlas, available through participating State Farm agents starting in May. Go to statefarm.com(R) for official rules and to enter the "State Farm Countdown to CARS" Giveaway. To see the latest CARS trailer and more, visit http://www.carsthemovie.com/.

About State Farm

State Farm(R) insures more cars than any other insurer in North America and is the leading U.S. home insurer. State Farm's 17,000 agents and 69,000 employees serve nearly 73 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No.22 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com(R) or in Canada statefarm.ca(TM).

Source: State Farm Insurance

CONTACT: Mia Jazo-Harris of State Farm, +1-309-766-5242; or David Wong
of Disney, +1-818-560-7291; or Krista Clark of GolinHarris, +1-312-729-4453

Web site: http://www.statefarm.com/
http://www.statefarm.ca/
http://www.carsthemovie.com/

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