Hours before Super Bowl LI kicked off, a Twitter war erupted over Budweiser’s half-time advertising centered on the founder of the company’s migration story.
This year’s football showdown was expected to reflect the country’s political unrest in many forms, from Lady Gaga’s halftime show, the #ResistHouston anti-Trump protests, and several controversial advertisements covering pay inequality, border crossings and immigration.
Super Bowl advsertising commands a whopping $5 million for a 30-second spot, and most companies wait until the big day to reveal their promotional gold dust. However, some like Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch, have chosen to get their money’s worth by drumming up some YouTube views in advance.
Named ‘Born the Hard Way’, the Budweiser ad is a dramatic retelling of founder Adolphus Busch’s journey from Germany to America to fulfil his dream of brewing beer.
The ad was released just days after President Trump signed an executive order banning incoming travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Unsurprisingly, the ad has already severely divided its viewers, garnering online praise and criticism alike. Some have commended the company for shining a light on the contributions that immigrants have made to the US and seeming to taking a stand against Trump’s policies, while others have called for a boycott of the brand for weighing in on the immigration debate with a biased ad.
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