If the goal of any commercial is to make an impression, then Nationwide should be popping champagne bottles inside its headquarters today. Perhaps more than any other ad that aired last night, folks are still talking about the Nationwide Super Bowl commercial . Only, instead of praising its humor or originality, critics are wondering: Did Nationwide really just run a commercial that centered on a dead child?!? Nationwide Super Bowl Commercial: Make Safe Happen The spot (titled “Make Safe Happen”) opened with a scene of a little kid riding a tricycle, playing with a dog and engaging in other childhood activities. “I’ll never learn to ride a bike,” the young boy says at the outset. “Or get cooties. I’ll never learn to fly… or travel the world with my best friend… and I won’t ever get married.” Why not? “I couldn’t grow up because I died from an accident.” Oh. We then cut to various grave scenes, as the ad reads: “The number one cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents. At Nationwide, we believe in protecting what matters most: your kids. Together, we can make safe happen.” Many viewers were aghast that the company would air such a morbid commercial, with criticism growing so strong that Nationwide has actually released a statement in defense of the footage. “Preventable injuries around the home are the leading cause of childhood deaths in America,” it reads. “Most people don’t know that. Nationwide ran an ad during the Super Bowl that started a fierce conversation. The sole purpose of this message was to start a conversation, not sell insurance.” We somehow doubt that’s 100% true, but okay. Fair enough. Go on… 2015 Super Bowl Commercials 1. Kim Kardashian T-Mobile Commercial Kim Kardashian shills for T-Mobile in this commercial. But it’s not just any commercial: it’s a Super Bowl commercial! “We want to build awareness of an issue that is near and dear to all of us — the safety and well-being of our children,” the statement continues. “We knew the ad would spur a variety of reactions. In fact, thousands of people visited MakeSafeHappen.com, a new website to help educate parents and caregivers with information and resources in an effort to make their homes safer and avoid a potential injury or death. “Nationwide has been working with experts for more than 60 years to make homes safer. While some did not care for the ad, we hope it served to begin a dialogue to make safe happen for children everywhere.” The Nationwide Super Bowl commercial was not the only Super Bowl commercial to earn criticism. Some with celiac disease are angry over this Nick Offerman NASCAR ad ? Seriously. They really are.
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Nationwide Defends "Dead Kid" Super Bowl Ad: All About Awareness!
