The Super Bowl is the most-watched television event of the year, making it an unparalleled opportunity to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversations. During this year Super Bowl, there was a an attempt to address the issue of antisemitism. Unfortunately never in the ad did the word Jewish or antisemitism appear.
It’s important to recognize that the attempt was made, and for that the sponsors of the add deserve credit, but we ought not be satisfied with what was done. A much more bold expression of the problem of antisemitism would have been much more effective. With millions of viewers glued to their screens, advertising during the game is more than just marketing, it’s a platform for influence, and an opportunity was missed.
The timidity of the ad and the lack of boldness was glaring.
-Nowhere in the commercial was the word Jewish mentioned.
-Nowhere was antisemitism explicitly addressed.
Instead, the ad spoke broadly about hate and intolerance. In order to even know that the issue of antisemitism was a part of the ad, you’d have to be patient to wait for the end of the commercial and read the small captions.
Most viewers, caught up in the excitement of Super Bowl commercials, may not have grasped its core message. When raising awareness about a specific issue, subtlety is often ineffective. like serving a meal but leaving out the main course, expecting people to be satisfied with a side dish of steamed carrots.
This leads to an important question: Was this vagueness intentional? If so, why?
When advertisements promote womens rights, they are explicit. When commercials advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, they are unambiguous. When supporting African American communities or minority empowerment, the message is unmistakable. So why, when addressing antisemitism, is the message so obscure?
The reluctance to name the issue directly is concerning. In an era where antisemitism is rising across the world from hate crimes to online rhetoric clarity and boldness are essential. Raising awareness is just about starting a conversation; its about ensuring that conversation is focused and effective.
To be clear, the effort behind these ads is commendable. Those responsible deserve credit for taking action and attempting to shift the narrative. But if we truly want to combat antisemitism, we need to be bolder. We need to be direct. Vague messaging is not enough. Trying is not enough.
To move the needle, we must be specific in naming the problem and unafraid to address it.