Super Bowl!

I must confess, I am not a huge NFL fan.  Patty and I do usually watch the Super Bowl, however, for the commercials as much as the game.  Last Sunday, we got to see a great game and some great commercials.  

It is so very heartwarming to see some of this country’s biggest advertisers spend millions of dollars for commercials featuring diversity and tolerance.  Truly, this is – dare I call it? – a movement that has touched our country as few have in recent times.

A recap of the commercials highlighting diversity:

Coca Cola aired a one minute commercial of “America the Beautiful” sung in several languages, with video of persons of several races and religions.  You can see the commercial at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iatvn7cUZ8

 

Air BNB aired a 30-second commercial called “We Accept” – a montage of different color and aged faces with a simple #weaccept at the conclusion.  I didn’t even know it was for Air BNB until I looked it up on the internet.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qUTYHnLz2g

 

Audi  aired a one-minute commercial on gender equity, featuring a cute blonde girl racing a soap box car against boys.  The girl reminded me of my granddaughter, Ava (with her same “don’t try to stop me” attitude).  It also reminded me, and all of us, that we must continue to seek equal rights for women, for all our granddaughters’ sakes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6u10YPk_34

 

Anheuser-Busch aired a one-minute story on how Adolphus Busch emigrated to America – to St. Louis – and met Eberhard Anheuser.  This commercial was aired before the Super Bowl, and many complained that it highlighted anti-immigrant attitudes.  It does, but it also shows that there were overcome and a hugely successful enterprise was launched by an immigrant.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBZvl7dIu4

 

84 Lumber aired a series of commercials telling the story of a mother and her young daughter who left their home in Mexico/Central America to journey to America.  Along the way, the girl collects scraps of material and fashions an American flag.  When they arrive at the border, they find a wall.  But, the story has a happy ending.

The commercial’s tagline, at the end is “The will to succeed is always welcome here.”  It’s a very heartwarming story, and all the ads (in a single episode) can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p5n2kc-xDI

 

There is bad news as well as good in this story, however.  I was so saddened to see the racist/sexist comments on the YouTube sites for each of these ads.  I take heart, however, that the companies that sponsored them must be aware that these small-minded people are in the minority.

We strive to make that a much smaller minority.