There's never a good time for some bad news. Like in life, people don't like being confronted with the nasties that we all know happen but would rather not talk about, (let alone live through) for one reason or another.
The recent Super Bowl is the perfect example of this. Why do people watch sport? For escapism, entertainment and relaxation, are reasons I'm sure top the list, so during the game that stops a nation, America was stopped for another reason.
The Nationwide ad lit up Twitter from memes to comments about how an ad about childhood death ruined the Super Bowl for everybody.
I understand the arguments that the ad would have been better suited to another time slot – one where people weren't stuffing their faces with chicken wings and throwing back a few celebratory beers.
However, in a time slot where people are surrounded by family and friends, I believe it the perfect time to show such an ad and the backlash is unwarranted.
The brand said that it was hoping to start a conversation and that's exactly what it did. It's difficult to start a conversation. We're told it's easy, especially with family and friends, but the vitriol this ad received for trying to do just that during a fun family gathering may prove it's more difficult than we thought.
What if individuals who were attending a fun-filled Super Bowl party weren't having the best day, or the best run for that matter. Would they feel as though they could have conversation or would they feel like they would be pulling a Nationwide and killing the mood?
Comparing advertising to individuals may seen far-fetched but stick with me.
Take the other serious ad from game day – the spot paid for by the NFL titled No More which highlighted the issue of domestic violence, and was based off a real conversation had by a 911 dispatcher.
This was was shown during the NFL, not just because they paid for it and because of its past history but because it knew that men would be sitting around participating in their favourite pastime, and hopefully a conversation would be sparked.
Solving issues like domestic violence hinges on people, particularly men, having conversations with their mates that are difficult. What better time to prompt such a conversation when there are men together on mass.
Obviously not all ads can be powerful and confronting, but when advertisers and organisations have important things to say, I think they should say it and say it loud and it doesn't get much louder than the Super Bowl.
Advertisers should be brave and start difficult conversations because who knows maybe it may help an individual do the same.