Nationwide executives responded to social media uproar Sunday following its Super Bowl ad depicting all the things a little boy couldn’t do because he died in a car accident.
“I couldn’t grow up because I died from an accident,” a child says somberly after a montage of images airs juxtaposting all the things he won’t be able to do while he’s actually doing them.
Some of those things included learning to ride a bicycle, kissing a girl, traveling the world and getting married.
After the series of of experiences the young child won’t have, a voiceover says, “Together we can make safe happen.”
Nationwide took to its website shortly after the ad ran to explain its rationale behind the Debbie Downer Super Bowl ad.
“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 company said in a statement.
“The sole purpose of this message was to start a conversation, not sell insurance … We knew the ad would spur a variety of reactions. While some did not care for the ad, we hope it served to begin a dialogue to make safe happen for children everywhere.”
Watch the ad below.