The Webby Awards is the leading international award program for internet excellence. As a People's Voice Award winner, State Farm was highlighted with other Webby winners from around the world in a virtual Internet Celebration.

This year, along with the SF mobile app, statefarm.com and the Steer Clear Safe Driver Program were also awarded top honors in the international Hermes Creative Awards and the American Business Awards. For additional award accomplishments, view the Industry Reviews & Digital Awards site. 

The Marketing Arm (TMA), the creative lead advertising agency for State Farm, submitted its work on (Re)Introducing Jake from State Farm and received a Webby People's Voice award in the Advertising, Media & PR: Brand Strategy category. ​

This recognition reflects customer pride and confidence in digital products at State Farm through the support across the organization and from customers making these achievements possible.​

To learn more about or download the app, click here.

He wanted to survive Covid-19, too.

A chance encounter

Hank lives in in Corbin, Ky., a small town of about 8,000 people. He was born and raised in Corbin and after he joined the military, he settled in Connecticut where he and his wife raised their family. After she passed away, he decided to return home.

“I got tired of talking to the wall, so eventually I came back,” joked Hank.

In 2016, Hank got a new neighbor. Mayur Ramesh Shah moved to Corbin from Philadelphia to be closer to his work and two sons. The 45-year-old University of the Cumberlands professor, small business and health economics consultant, dad, lifelong volunteer, immigrant who speaks four languages, didn’t know anybody in town until he moved next to Hank.

“I was getting my mail one day, and I saw that I got Hank’s on accident,” Mayur said. He’d never met his new neighbor and when he went to return the misplaced mail, a bill from the local internet provider, the two got to talking.

“He told me how much he was paying for his internet access and I was like, ‘That sounds like way too much,’ so we took a look at it,” Mayur said. With a few quick calls, Mayur helped Hank cut his bill almost in half and a friendship was born.

Now on paper, they make a pretty unlikely pair.

“Pretty much everything about us is different,” said Mayur. Everything except, as Hank pointed out, a few key facts.

“We’re human beings, we’re neighbors and we’re friends,” Hank said. “That still counts for something.”

Coming together

Like the rest of us, Mayur and Hank’s world changed last year when Covid hit.

“I didn’t get out too much before, and now it was even harder,” Hank said.

When Hank heard from the VA hospital he was eligible for the vaccine, he initially felt conflicted; Lexington was the nearest site, and it’s 100 miles away.

“I’m not as mobile as I used to be,” he said. “I’m blind in one eye and don’t see so well in the other, so I figured I wouldn’t go.”

Mayur had other ideas. “I told him if he wanted to go, I’d drive him whenever he wanted.”

So, that’s what they did

Over the following few weeks, Mayur and Hank drove to Lexington twice, and Hank received both of his doses of the Covid-19 vaccines.

After returning from that first visit, Mayur found the 100 for Good™ app, a program developed by State Farm^® that encourages people to log their good deeds to inspire others to do the same and see the collective impact we all make across the country.

Mayur, a State Farm customer, was actually looking up information on Drive Safe and Save™ when he came across the 100 for Good app.

“I thought it sounded kind of cool, so I figured I’d download it and see what it was all about,” Mayur said. After downloading the app, he logged in the trip he and Hank had just taken and promptly forgot all about it.

“This was quite the first logged Act of Good by Mayur and exactly what we were hoping to see when we introduced 100 for Good app to the public…we were so proud,” said State Farm Senior Vice President Annette Martinez. “It is a great example of what being a good neighbor is all about, demonstrating human kindness in big and small ways.”

Mayur is going to keep logging his Acts of Good in the app as he has donated his time and talents a great deal over the years. “I got this instilled in me from my parents; they taught me to always pay it forward.”

Hank and Mayur encourage others to check out the 100 for Good program to be inspired by others’ acts and to see there are good neighbors all around.

“People should be able to interact with an app whenever and however they choose,” said Stacy. “A customer first focus is critical.”

Miller is a State Farm^® mobile app (SFma) technology analyst who was part of a recent update to make the online tool even easier for customers. The State Farm mobile app recently won three top honors in the 2020 Webby Awards, the leading international award program for internet excellence.

“Deposit a check, pay an insurance bill, request roadside assistance, file and track claims – you can do it all online – desktop or mobile,” she said.

“My favorite feature is the photo damage estimator. It’s really innovative,” said SFma software developer Andrew Erickson. “If a driver is in an accident, they can use the app to take pictures of their vehicle and submit them to State Farm. Those images are then used to write the customer an estimate. Efficiency and assistance, that’s what we’re about.”

The Secret to Success

From research to user reviews to direct communication tools, State Farm keeps a constant pulse on customer feedback.

“We’re in the business of creating solutions, and we take what people tell us seriously,” said software developer Nick Baker. “We’re constantly adding new features to improve the online experience. When digital tools are efficient, people can be more efficient.”

For first-time users or those with questions, a chatbot guides customers through the claim-filing process and provides proof of insurance cards without logging in. Using the chatbot, people can also get quotes and compare policy options.

“We want people to know we hear them,” Nick said. “During a prior iteration, many informed us the app was hard to navigate. So we personalized the dashboard, making it easier for people to find what they need.”

“We treat the app like raising a child,” Stacy said. “We take care of it, help it grow and thrive, and teach it to help others. Just like parenting, the work never stops.”

“Whether it’s the mobile app, online or a phone call, we’re good neighbors – and we’re there to serve every step of the way,” Nick said.

To learn more about or download the app, click here.