By: Drew Benda
Burbank, CA (The Hollywood Times) 2/4/21 – With the big game just days away, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs are set to go head-to-head in South Florida. The 43-year-old, Tom Brady is set to make a record-breaking, 10th Superbowl appearance. Besides Brady, there are a lot of things that are different about this year’s game, given the circumstances regarding the worldwide pandemic. How you feel about the NFL’s handling of the COVID-19 virus determines whether or not you think they should be even be playing the game. Many Americans have faced challenges this last and current year and are looking towards the game as a means of escaping their harsh realities. People even look to the commercials as content that offers a familiar, funny, and communal experience. Over the years, these commercials have been known to push the envelope. Some commercials even display sexist themes during games. Companies such as Go-Daddy have long used female objectification as a marketing technique. Not many people even know what Go-Daddy produces or what service they provide, but people can tell you that former racecar driver, Danica Patrick, used to star in their Superbowl commercials while she was virtually nude. Thanks to the “Me Too” and “Black Lives Matter” movements, awareness regarding race and gender inequality is higher than it ever was before. Instead of companies trying to out due one another with the most outrageous and shocking commercials, the major corporations chose a much more humanitarian route. Pepsi, Budweiser, Ford, and Coca-Cola actually chose to forgo advertisements this year in favor of promoting COVID-19 vaccination initiatives. After all the heartbreak and loss that we have all suffered due to the pandemic, the Superbowl ads are finally going to focus on family, health, and other wholesome themes that help to remind us how special life is.