Call for boycotts after preachy Super bowl ads: Budweiser, Coca-Cola and 84 Lumber in the firing line as commercials focus on diversity and immigration just over a week after Trump's travel ban

  • Big American corporations got political with this year's Super Bowl commericals
  • Coca-Cola, Budweiser, 84 Lumber and Airbnb all focused on multiculturalism
  • Brands Budweiser and 84 Lumber in particular focused on immigration
  • Audi's commercial advocated for equal pay for women 
  • Commercials aired just over a week after President Trump's 'Muslim ban'
  • Controversial ads sparked calls for boycotts while others praised them 

Some Trump supporters are calling for boycotts of major American companies following Super Bowl ads that were seen as political rebukes to the president.

In particular, Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Airbnb, Audi and 84 Lumber were targeted as having an alleged left-wing, anti-Trump agenda.

Coca-Cola, Budweiser and 84 Lumber and Airbnb all focused on multiculturalism while Budweiser and 84 Lumber particularly focused on immigration - which some saw as a direct call-out of Trump's immigration policy. Audi's commercial advocated for equal pay for women. 

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One Twitter user was particularly angry with the 'pro-diversity' messages of the Super Bowl commercials for five companies

One Twitter user was particularly angry with the 'pro-diversity' messages of the Super Bowl commercials for five companies

Budweiser's dramatized story of its founder traveling from Germany to the U.S. to follow his dreams of brewing, only to face a hostile welcome, sparked fury among Trump voters who pledged not to drink the beer again.

However, others voiced their support for the controvesial adverts, with some saying they had been encouraged to try Budweiser for the first time. 

 

Budweiser

Budweiser, the iconic American beer, also sparked debate with their commercial featuring a dramatic re-enactment of co-founder Adolphus Busch's journey from Germany to America in 1857. 

The 60-second ad, titled Born the Hard Way, shows his long and dangerous journey , only to be met with hostility from locals when he arrived in the States.

'You're not wanted here, go back home!' he is told. 'You don't look like you're from aroud here.'

Trump supporters were angered earlier this week by a Budweiser commercial that featured a dramatic re-enactment of Adolphus Busch's (above) immigrant journey to America in 1857

Trump supporters were angered earlier this week by a Budweiser commercial that featured a dramatic re-enactment of Adolphus Busch's (above) immigrant journey to America in 1857

Finally he receives a warm welcome in St Louis where a stranger, a fellow foreigner, buys him a drink. That stranger turns out to be his business partner Eberhard Anheuser.

'When nothing stops your dream,' the ad ends on. 

The 60-second ad, which is titled Born the Hard Way, shows Busch encountering hostility from locals after his arrival in America

The 60-second ad, which is titled Born the Hard Way, shows Busch encountering hostility from locals after his arrival in America

The ad then continues to show Busch unveiling his dream beer to a man in a bar - who turns out to be Eberhard Anheuser, with whom Busch would form Budweiser's parent company, Anheuser-Busch

The ad then continues to show Busch unveiling his dream beer to a man in a bar - who turns out to be Eberhard Anheuser, with whom Busch would form Budweiser's parent company, Anheuser-Busch

The commercial sparked fury on Twitter by many who considered it an attack on Trump's executive order and America's attitude towards migrants - despite it featuring a white, legal immigrant.

'Never drinking @Budweiser you should respect the AMERICAN president instead you mock with liberal propaganda #boycottbudweiser,' one Twitter user wrote.

The commercial sparked fury on Twitter by many who considered it an attack on Trump's executive order and America's attitude towards migrants

The commercial sparked fury on Twitter by many who considered it an attack on Trump's executive order and America's attitude towards migrants

But many others spoke out to defend the firm, saying the ad had encouraged them to drink Budweiser for the first time in years. 

Budweiser attempted to play down the political overtones of the commercial amidst the furore, saying it had actually been in the works for almost a year.

 

 

The #BoycottBudweiser movement also met a great deal of resistance. One user pointed out that Twitter's CEO criticized Trump's immigration ban as well, wondering if people would boycott the social media platform as well

The #BoycottBudweiser movement also met a great deal of resistance. One user pointed out that Twitter's CEO criticized Trump's immigration ban as well, wondering if people would boycott the social media platform as well

 

84 Lumber 

Pennsylvania-based material supplier 84 Lumber was forced to run a scaled-down version because Fox network and the NFL deemed it 'too controversial'.

The commercial shows a mother and her daughter as they make the long, difficult and dangerous journey across Mexico to reach the U.S. border.

Tired, thirsty and dirty, they arrive at the border only to find a huge, towering wall blocking their path, a wall which bears striking resemblance to Trump's multi-billion dollar plans for a border wall which, he claims, he will force Mexico to pay for.

Easily the most divisive advert of the Super Bowl was from 84 Lumber which shows a mother and her daughter as they make the  journey across Mexico to reach the U.S. border

Easily the most divisive advert of the Super Bowl was from 84 Lumber which shows a mother and her daughter as they make the  journey across Mexico to reach the U.S. border

84 Lumber, a building materials supplier based in Pennsylvania, ran its first-ever Super Bowl commercial. It showed a Spanish-speaking mother and daughter on a journey to the US from Mexico

84 Lumber, a building materials supplier based in Pennsylvania, ran its first-ever Super Bowl commercial 

Distraught, the mother and daughter break down in tears until they notice a sliver of light. 

When they run to see what it is, they find two huge, unlocked, wooden doors - built with 84 Lumbar. 

This time their eyes fill with tears of joy as they push the doors open, and run to the other side.

The poignant advert, the first Super Bowl ad by Lubar 84, ends of the tagline: 'The will to succeed is always welcom here.'

It immediately triggered a huge response, with more than 80,000 mentions on Twitter during the game alone.

It immediately triggered a huge response, with more than 80,000 mentions on Twitter during the game alone

It immediately triggered a huge response, with more than 80,000 mentions on Twitter during the game alone

Many attacked the firm, saying they were encouraging illegal immigrants, while others said they were never shopping at 84 Lumber again.

Scott Melber wrote: '32 yeas of business you throw out the window. Maybe your stores should take pesos. Because you wil never see my $$$$$$.'  

Others criticized the backlash, pointing out that the vast majority of Americans were descended from immigrants.  

Others criticized the backlash, pointing out that the vast majority of Americans were descended from immigrant or claiming that its message was not all that controversial

Others criticized the backlash, pointing out that the vast majority of Americans were descended from immigrant or claiming that its message was not all that controversial

 

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola came under fire for its commercial, even though it was originally created and first aired back in 2014.

It features people of all different ethnicities dootted around America  as a multi-lingual version of America the Beautiful plays in the background.

The advert sparked controversy in 2014, but its gentle message of tolerance and multiculturalism seems to have hit a particular nerve this year as, once again, viewers called for a boycott.

Coca-Cola re-broadcast an advert that it first aired in 2014 showing images of places throughout the United States

Coca-Cola re-broadcast an advert that it first aired in 2014 showing images of places throughout the United States

The people seen in the commercial are from a number of racial and ethnic backgrounds. In the background plays a multi-lingual version of America the Beautiful

The people seen in the commercial are from a number of racial and ethnic backgrounds. In the background plays a multi-lingual version of America the Beautiful

The ad, called 'It's Beautiful,' first aired during Super Bowl 2014, and provoked anger in some corners because it featured 'America the Beautiful' sung in different languages and a shot of gay parents. 

The song is performed in English, Spanish, Keres, Tagalog, Hindi, Senegalese French and Hebrew in the advertisement, the soda giant says.

Coke notes that it has continued to run the 'It's Beautiful' ad during major TV events, and says it 'makes sense' to air it before the Super Bowl this year. 

One Twitter user took offence to the singing of 'America the Beautiful' in different languages

One Twitter user took offence to the singing of 'America the Beautiful' in different languages

Coca-Cola Co. CEO Muhtar Kent has said the soda maker was against the travel ban.

Coke said in a statement on Sunday: 'The premise of "It's Beautiful" can be simply stated: America is Beautiful and Coca-Cola is for everyone.

'It celebrates Coca-Cola moments among all Americans and features snapshots of American families.

'We believe it's a powerful ad that promotes optimism, inclusion and celebrates humanity – values that are core to Coca-Cola. 

Coca-Cola came under fire for its commercial, even though it was originally created and aired back in 2014, when it also generated simultaneous praise and controversy

Coca-Cola came under fire for its commercial, even though it was originally created and aired back in 2014, when it also generated simultaneous praise and controversy

 

Airbnb 

A commercial for Airbnb showed a mosaic of faces of men and women. The facial features and skin colors change as words appear.

'We believe no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong.'

A commercial for Airbnb showed a mosaic of faces of men and women. The facial features and skin colors change as words appear. 'We believe no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong,' the commercial said

A commercial for Airbnb showed a mosaic of faces of men and women. The facial features and skin colors change as words appear. 'We believe no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong,' the commercial said

'The world is more beautiful the more you accept.'

The 30-second commercial ends with the hashtag #weaccept, which began trending on Twitter after the ad aired.

Some users took offense to the tweet.

Richard the Lion wrote: 'Your stupid, politically correct, far left wing viewpoint, has been exposed through the superbowl ad.'

Another user agreed with the message of the advertisement but called out what they saw as the company's contribution to neighborhood gentrification. 

Former pornographic film actress Jenna Jameson took to Twitter to ask why Airbnb wouldn't offer housing to 'our homeless vets that fought for your freedom'

Former pornographic film actress Jenna Jameson took to Twitter to ask why Airbnb wouldn't offer housing to 'our homeless vets that fought for your freedom'

Some Tweeters took Airbnb to task for what they saw as multicultural propaganda. Though on user took the time to both embrace Airbnb's message while calling out what they see as the company's gentrifying effects on neighborhoods

Some Tweeters took Airbnb to task for what they saw as multicultural propaganda. Though on user took the time to both embrace Airbnb's message while calling out what they see as the company's gentrifying effects on neighborhoods

 

Audi 

Car maker Audi also bought advertising time to advocate for a cause – equal pay for women.

The ad shows a young girl competing in cart races while the man narrating asks what he should tell his daughter when she becomes aware that women make less money than men.

Car maker Audi also bought advertising time to advocate for a cause ¿ equal pay for women. The ad shows a young girl competing in cart races while the man narrating asks what he should tell his daughter when she becomes aware that women make less money than men

Car maker Audi also bought advertising time to advocate for a cause – equal pay for women. The ad shows a young girl competing in cart races while the man narrating asks what he should tell his daughter when she becomes aware that women make less money than men

'Do I tell her that despite her education, her drive, her skills, her intelligence, she will automatically be valued as less than every man she ever meets?' the man asks.

The girl in the commercial wins the race.

The commercial ends with Audi declaring that it favors 'equal pay for equal work.' 

Critics used a variety of means to comment on the Audi ad. Some liberals pointed out the perceived hypocrisy of the ad, as it's board is only 1/6 female. @BotchedLobotomy wondered if conservative boycotters could find common ground with liberal critics

Critics used a variety of means to comment on the Audi ad. Some liberals pointed out the perceived hypocrisy of the ad, as it's board is only 1/6 female. @BotchedLobotomy wondered if conservative boycotters could find common ground with liberal critics

Lahren offers her opinion: Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren said that due to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, 'men and women get equal pay for equal work.' It is not clear whether she means equal pay simply began immediately following the 1963 Act

Lahren offers her opinion: Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren said that due to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, 'men and women get equal pay for equal work.' It is not clear whether she means equal pay simply began immediately following the 1963 Act

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