The Importance of the Politically Charged Super Bowl Ads
Spreading a message effectively and creatively
By Yaakov Weissman
The Progressive Teen Staff Writer
WE GENERALLY DON’T VIEW THE SUPER BOWL as an opportune time to teach America of the horrors of the Trump administration, the sexism of our society, or the greatness of immigrants. However, several patriotic companies bravely ignored the potential conservative backlash and showed America that they stand for equality and immigration.
More than 111 million people watched the Super Bowl this past Sunday, compared to the 84 million that tuned into the first Clinton-Trump presidential debate, which was the most-watched presidential debate in American history. So while it may seem counter-intuitive, significantly more Americans have the potential of being politically influenced during the Super Bowl than during the presidential debates. It was therefore imperative that companies took the initiative of demonstrating their patriotism and intolerance of racism that the Trump administration has been preaching.
In one touching ad, as a young girl races in a soapbox car race against boys and defeats them, her father wonders how he will break the news to his daughter that our society is sexist and undervalues the work of women. As his daughter races, the father asks:
“What do I tell my daughter?”
“Do I tell her that her grandpa is worth more than her grandma? That her dad is worth more than her mom?”
“Do I tell her that — despite her education, her drive, her skills, her intelligence — she will automatically be valued less than every man she ever meets?”
“Or maybe, I’ll be able to tell her something different.”
The ad closes with Audi declaring that, “Audi of America is committed to equal pay for equal work. Progress is for everyone.”
It’s disheartening to think that that a company saying it supports equal pay for equal work is controversial. Conservatism has devolved into a white male supremacy movement, and Audi vociferously declared it was completely against that. Predictably, this statement for equality drew heavy criticism from conservatives. But Audi bravely stood by its call for equality and did not give into the sexist backlash.
Audi was not the only company that used their Super Bowl ad time as a political platform. 84 Lumber, a lumber company, ran an ad which depicted a Mexican mother and daughter’s treacherous journey from Mexico to the United States, braving storms, rains, rivers, deserts, and a close encounter with dehydration. After enduring it all in search of a new home, the family finally arrives at the border of the United States, only to see a huge wall preventing them from entering. They begin to cry as they realize their dream has been crushed, until suddenly they see a giant door that opens up and lets them in, and the ad ends. This heartwarming ad angered many racist Trump fans who view all immigrants as rapists and murderers, with some even calling for a boycott of the entire company. 84 Lumber boldly remained strong on their message and taught tens of millions of Americans just how hard the journey can be for these innocent immigrants looking for a new home.
They begin to cry as they realize their dream has been crushed, until suddenly they see a giant door that opens up and lets them in.
Airbnb, a home rental service, spent 5 million dollars to run a 30-second ad which preached equality. As faces of all shapes, colors, genders, and sizes flashed across the screen, the words read, “We believe no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept.” This commercial drew ire from Trump supporters, who were unwilling to accept Muslims or Mexicans into the United States and who often seek to oppress blacks and women. It wasn’t surprising when Trump fans called for a boycott against Airbnb after the ad was played.
There were several more ads that taught the importance of acceptance, diversity, and the value of immigrants, from companies such as Budweiser and Google. It just goes to show the amazing patriotism and activism of companies that are willing to jeopardize their businesses in order to fight racism and sexism. It also shows the creativity that is needed to win elections and reach as many people as possible. In order to draw out the vote in the 2018 midterm election and the 2020 general election, we will need to think outside the box. We should learn a lesson not only in politics from these commercials, but in how to spread our message as well.
