Aaron Rodgers Makes Low-Key National Advertising Debut

Aaron Rodgers finally made his debut with a significant national advertiser during NFL Sunday Night Football, a game in which his team, the 5-0 Green Bay Packers, staged a come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons. But in keeping with the understated persona of the Super Bowl XLV MVP, Rodgers' appearance in his first commercial for State Farm Insurance saw him being humorously deprecating and not even recognized.

Rodgers' on-field performances in 2011 are being compared with some of the best to ever play his position. But so far, Rodgers has been practically an invisible presence in the endorsement game, especially compared with the upper-echelon quarterbacks such as the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning and New Orleans' Saints Drew Brees with whom Rodgers is being compared these days. Rodgers' go-slow endorsement strategy apparently has been by his own design.

That approach continues in his State Farm spot, in which an agent for the Bloomington, Ill.-based insurer and some new customers have ripped off Rodgers' signature on-field celebration move of pretending to attach a WWE-style championship belt around his waist. Rodgers objects. Soon he has to remind the other customers, "I'm a quarterback." Not recognizing Rodgers, one of them says, "And I'm a robot."

Rodgers has said he still wants to concentrate on achieving success on the field, even as his personal brand builds with more endorsement deals. This State Farm national boost in primetime is a fitting start for success off of it.