The New England Patriots won the Super Bowl LI on Sunday night 34 to 28 against the Atlanta Falcons in Houston, Texas. While Tom Brady’s team had a remarkable triumph, ads by Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Budweiser and others stole the night.
Aside from the much-expected halftime performance by Lady Gaga, commercial breaks are part of the Super Bowl tradition for being one of the most coveted spaces of the year for advertisers.
Millions of people tuned in to root for their teams and watch some quality publicity, but they did not expect the political undertones some companies showed in their ads. President Trump reportedly left his viewing party before the Patriots chanted victory.
Airbnb wants acceptance over travel bans
“The world is more beautiful the more you accept,” says Airbnb in their Super Bowl commercial as faces of people from different ethnicities blend in the screen.
The 30-second spot was widely interpreted to be a direct response to Trump’s recent executive order, which set a temporary ban on refugees and citizens of a list of Muslim countries.
Airbnb is a platform dedicated to connecting travelers all around the world with people at their planned destinations who can provide them shelter and guidance during their stay.
CEO Brian Chesky openly expressed his disagreement with the executive order on January 29, according to a company memo The New York Times managed to get.
After the order had gone into effect, Airbnb responded by offering free hosting to people who could no longer travel due to the restrictions of the ban.
Budweiser and Coca-Cola spread a message of unity
Coca-Cola had a much simpler approach with the same underlying message: Together is Beautiful, and America is Beautiful.
The iconic soda brand did not even make a commercial for this year’s Super Bowl. Coke opted to rerun an ad from 2014 that perfectly encompasses the spirit of unity the country so desperately needs.
Budweiser, on the other hand, had a more direct approach to the current political situation in the U.S. The founder, Adolphus Busch, starred the add, as he arrived in America and built the beer brewery consumed by millions on Sunday night.
Busch, a German immigrant, is depicted leaving his country on a ship and arriving in America, much to the anger of natives who swear at him and other foreigners at the harbor.
“Born the Hard Way” ends with Busch showing people at a bar his plans for a beer under the name of Budweiser. Other companies also showed ads with subtle political messages directly or indirectly against the Trump administration.
Source: The New York Times