State Farm really lucked out when they decided to latch on to Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ signature celebratory move for use in their commercials. What used to be known as Rodgers’ heavyweight belt thing has now been copied by other athletes, but it’s now called “the Discount Double Check.”

Rodgers started strapping on an imaginary heavyweight belt in 2005 while serving as a backup to Brett Favre in Green Bay, in an attempt to liven up practices. From there, he’s taken the belt on to lead his team in winning the Super Bowl and snagging a State Farm ad campaign.

In the spots, the move is supposed to be related to State Farm’s routine process of checking a customer’s auto insurance coverage to make sure he or she received all applicable discounts.

Other football players used his move to mock him during games, occasionally, but so what? He’s Aaron Rodgers (Full disclosure: I am from Wisconsin and full of worship). Then, as Bloomberg Businessweek reports, last week Steve Novak of the New York Knicks pulled the move twice after making three-point shots over the Cleveland Cavaliers and sportscasters started yakking.

“He did a little Aaron Rodgers Discount Double Check,” said the MSG network’s play-by-play announcer, Mike Breen. “The Knicks were Cavalier wrecking and Discount Double Checking,” said Michael Wilbon the next day on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption.

State Farm has definitely lucked out here — it’s not every day you can steal a move from a professional athlete and have it spread your message for free.

*Thanks to Ellie D. and Mike L. for the well-aimed tipstering!

State Farm Steals a Touchdown Dance, Scores Free Advertising [Bloomberg Businessweek]

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