Nationwide Super Bowl Commercial: Raising Awareness for Kids

One thing I have been hearing a lot of since the Super Bowl was that the Nationwide commercial with the little boy who never got to do childhood things because he died, has made them angry.

{The video was removed from YouTube and I cannot find a video of just the commercial.}

I don’t understand what makes people angry about this commercial.

Because it hits close to home?

Because it is a reality?

Because accidents do happen, but we can try to prevent them?

I don’t care who sponsored the commercial. In my opinion, that is not the point.

The point is that children do die from an accidental drowning in the bathtub. Children do die when a television or dresser fall on top of them because they aren’t tethered down or because the child was climbing while unsupervised for even a split second.

Things happen.

It doesn’t make a parent a bad parent.

Accidents happen.

If you are a parent, you know that all it takes is seconds of taking your eye of your child for something to happen.

In my opinion (and it is just that – an opinion) the commercial is more about awareness, not trying to make you angry.

In fact, Nationwide has been quoted as saying:

“Preventable injuries around the home are the leading cause of childhood deaths in America. Most people don’t know that. Nationwide ran an ad during the Super Bowl that started a fierce conversation. The sole purpose of this message was to start a conversation, not sell insurance. We want to build awareness of an issue that is near and dear to all of us-the safety and well being of our children. We knew the ad would spur a variety of reactions. In fact, thousands of people visited MakeSafeHappen.com, a new website to help educate parents and caregivers with information and resources in an effort to make their homes safer and avoid a potential injury or death. Nationwide has been working with experts for more than 60 years to make homes safer. While some did not care for the ad, we hope it served to begin a dialogue to make safe happen for children everywhere.” Resource

In my opinion – the Nationwide commercial is the best commercial of the Super Bowl.

It’s still one of the most talked about ads the next day. Exactly what the ad was intended to do.