Super Bowl 2017

Airbnb’s “We Accept” ad was one of the evening’s most directly political moments. The company’s founders pledged $4 million to support refugees, joining a chorus of Silicon Valley firms that are speaking out against the recent immigration order.

84 Lumber also tackled immigration in a spot that Fox deemed “too controversial.” (A shortened version directed viewers to the company’s website, which crashed under the resulting traffic.) Although viewers found the ad polarizing, they seemed unclear about its message. While many interpreted the ad as favoring immigration, the company’s CEO holds different views, stating that the meaning of the message was “in the eyes of the beholder.” While 84 Lumber struggled with its message, it still earned significant attention—a logical goal for a brand kicking off a recruiting campaign.

Takeaway: According to Global Strategy Group, 81% of Americans believe corporations should take action to address the issues facing society. Although ads that take strong stances court controversy, they also make the strongest impressions.

Bridge the gap

As we noted in our Political Consumer report, one of the most successful ways to engage with consumers on political topics is to focus on shared values. This way, brands can address a range of opinions without alienating consumers on either side.

At the Super Bowl, several brands called for unity. An ad from Expedia, which originally aired during Donald Trump’s inauguration, emphasized the power of travel to “…bridge continents, culture, prejudice…and keep peace.” Coca Cola’s “It’s Beautiful” ad was a nod to American multiculturalism, featuring a diverse cast singing “America the Beautiful” in several different languages. Originally aired in 2014, the ad seemed to take on new resonance this year.

The NFL’s “Inside These Lines” ad seemed to be the most effective in its call for unity—through football, of course. “Inside these lines, we may have our differences,” read the voiceover. “But recognize, there’s more that unites us.”

Takeaway: While even unifying ads were deemed controversial in the context of Super Bowl 2017, they are still one of the safest ways to acknowledge divisive issues without taking a stance, and generated their share of conversation around brands that chose this route.

Authenticity matters

When brands take a political stand, demonstrating authentic brand values is of utmost importance. No brand demonstrated this better than Audi, which tackled the gender pay gap with its “Daughter” spot. The ad carried the tagline “Progress is for everyone” as the company declared its commitment to equal wages for men and women.

Many viewers loved the ad, with celebrities like Constance Zimmer and Sheryl Sandberg sharing the uplifting message online. Others, however, questioned Audi’s record on gender equality, noting the company’s male-dominated board of management and executive team. (In response, Audi highlighted aggressive hiring strategies for women and internal salary analyses.) Though the video had 12 million views on YouTube at the time of writing, likes and dislikes were nearly split equally.

Takeaway: Make sure political messaging reflects a brand’s culture. Strong stances are effective only when they arise authentically from company values.

Relevant, not political

Not all ads need to comment directly on the issues. It’s a 10 Hair Care won big laughs for its ad that began, “America, we’re in for at least four years of awful hair.” The humorous spot called on citizens to do their part to make their hair great. By drawing on comedy, the brand was able to tap into the political conversation (and still give viewers something to groan about) without taking sides or appearing to exploit the situation.

Takeaway: Brands can leverage the political conversation in creative ways that don’t require a strong comment on the issues.

Unintentionally political

Several companies experienced pushback for ads that might have been seen as benign in other circumstances.

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