With 1 Super Bowl ad, my worlds collided.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱:
Last week, @Uber and Uber Eats released their Super Bowl as “Don’t Forget Uber Eats.”
The commercial didn’t focus on food allergies, but included a man with hives on his face ‘forgetting’ there are peanuts in peanut butter.
This very bad ‘joke’ sent shockwaves throughout the food allergy community.
Which turned into immediate CTA for the removal of the ad, led by FARE and CEO, Sung Poblete.
Instantly, we saw a community rise in power!
The food allergy community took social media to share stories, feelings, thoughts, and called for the removal of this ad.
𝗠𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 (𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗚):
𝟭. 𝗔𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀:
↳I was deeply offended to see this content make airwaves.
𝟮. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿:
↳Making fun of people’s health issues is NEVER okay.
𝟯. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱:
↳This ad felt like bullying those with food allergies.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗵:
Thankfully, the food allergy portion of the ad was removed before it aired during the Super Bowl.
I’m very happy to see this resolution, and it never should have occurred.
Marketing teams must be aware of the target audience,
and their deep problems, wants, needs, and desires.
Empathy will always win over poking fun.
It’s 1 chance at building vs. destroying relationships.
There 𝗮𝗿𝗲 many learnings are coming out of this:
𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻:
-You will always win by advocating for yourself.
-There is deep power in an engaged community.
-You can unite groups and drive change together.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:
-It’s always about people over profits.
-Being able to adjust in times of crisis is invaluable.
-Marketing cannot be void of empathy for the masses.
I’m grateful to Uber Eats for remedying this situation.
People make mistakes, and we’re grateful you listened.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀:
“𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝗼𝗳.”
Never for profit, never to seem cool, never in jest.
Period.
📌𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.allergicliving.com/2024/02/07/uber-eats-super-bowl-ads-allergy-joke-called-out-by-fare/?fbclid=IwAR0r_emwk-G1HoRZjESyJmZdiGhqyNPmnpSkzIsujFTWHvCl944imn2SC4g_aem_AYG8wmWEiXfsQ8a-cdrQjkhFYcDFK1hyoDqz82ESvAxbV_PNkbIaqv2z-QnLOqOhjSs
