Super Bowl Sunday: for some it means cheering on their favorite team and for others it means getting excited for the commercials (the latter one is definitely me). While Super Bowl ads always carry a mix of hit and misses, they are never without some backlash. This year was no exception.
The new ad for Dodge Ram, as part of their Super Bowl ‘Built to Serve’ volunteer program, showed images of everyday Americans helping others; doing so by serving in the military, as firefighters and teaching children. The ad also opened with the very distinct voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. giving his 1968 speech “The Drum Major Instinct,” about the virtues of service. The 30-second ad, which aired during the second quarter of the Eagles vs. Patriots game, was estimated to be seen by about 100 million people. The advertisement caused some controversy with viewers expressing their distaste online.
Many saw the use of Dr. King’s words and legacy to sell trucks a crass move on the part of Dodge. Especially ironic, as critics pointed out, was the fact that Dr. King fought to redirect military spending back home to help the poor. Another point made against the spot was the fact that the speech used in an ad that cost $5 million to make, “touched on the dangers of overspending on items like cars.”
The King Center said in a tweet that they were not responsible for approving Dr. King’s “words or imagery for use in merchandise, entertainment (movies, music, artwork, etc.) or advertisement.” Ram did approach Intellectual Properties Management Inc., which controls Dr. King’s speeches and image. In a statement made on Monday they said, “We found that the overall message of the ad embodied Dr. King’s philosophy that true greatness is achieved by serving others. Thus we decided to be a part of Ram’s ‘Built To Serve’ Super Bowl program.”
The ad also comes at a divisive time for the country and for the NFL as the last year saw a heavier spotlight on football players deciding to kneel during the national anthem, a peaceful protest to draw attention to racial oppression and police brutality against black Americans. Whether the ad was made in good faith or not, it certainly stirred up conversations on the treatment of black Americans, summed up perfectly in this tweet; “Black people can’t kneel and play football but MLK should be used to sell trucks during the super bowl. Unbelievable.”
Cover Photo:https://www.nbcnews.com