U.S. insurance company Nationwide says it was only trying to raise awareness about child safety when it created a disarmingly sombre ad that went over like a lead balloon during the Super Bowl Sunday night.
Amid TV advertising's biggest night, when companies often debut their funniest and most clever ads of the year, Nationwide barged into the party with a clunker of an ad that featured a mop-topped boy telling us he would never get to do the things he wanted to do because he was now dead.
“I couldn’t grow up,” he tells the camera, “because I died from an accident.”
Twitter immediately let Nationwide know, in no uncertain terms, it hated the ad.
Late Sunday, Nationwide felt compelled to respond amid "a fierce conversation" across social media about the spot.
The company said it simply wanted to remind parents that preventable accidents are the leading cause of child deaths in America.
"Most people don’t know that. Nationwide ran an ad during the Super Bowl that started a fierce conversation," the company said in its statement.
"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."
The company added that it knew the ad would spur "a variety of reactions" but it also noted that thousands have visited MakeSafeHappen.com, a new website to educate parents and caregivers on ways to avoid potential injuries 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."
