SHOOT Online
by Robert Goldrich
March 27, 2017
The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history came with this year’s tale of two games within one—the first dominated at the outset by the Atlanta Falcons, the second taken over by the eventual winner, the New England Patriots.
In what shaped up as a parallel universe, the accompanying crop of Super Bowl commercials also featured two distinctly different games—those advertisers looking to entertain, often opting for the comedic, balanced by a number of sponsors who instead decided to address social issues, at times touching upon the politically charged topic of immigration.
The latter was perhaps most compellingly exemplified in 84 Lumber’s “The Journey Begins,” a spot which shows a mother and daughter embarking on a long, arduous sojourn from Mexico to the U.S. for a better life. The broadcast ad ends with a website address, Journey84.com, inviting viewers to continue the trek. The second part of the journey online depicted the mom and daughter encountering a large wall blocking their path but then they come upon a door through which appears a crack of light, showing it has the potential to open. A supered message reads, “The will to succeed is always welcome here.” Brunner, Pittsburgh—with a creative team headed by CCO Rob Schapiro— served as agency on the job.
