• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Super Bowl 2017

This Will Probably Be the Super Bowl’s Most Controversial Commercial

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 3, 2017, 11:34 AM ET

Anyone hoping for a respite from America’s increasingly volatile political climate on Super Bowl Sunday is likely to be sorely disappointed.

Beyond the ongoing politicization of the two teams competing in Sunday’s big game, this year’s Super Bowl commercial breaks also appear to hold more political messages than usual. Leading the charge in terms of politically relevant marketing is construction company 84 Lumber, which on Friday released the ad it plans to run during the Super Bowl on Sunday. The commercial is the first ever Super Bowl ad from the Pennsylvania-based company.

The 90-second ad is an immigrant tale that shows a long, difficult journey of a Mexican mother and her daughter as they appear to be attempting to make their way to the U.S.-Mexico border. In January, Fox (FOX) reportedly rejected an earlier version of the commercial, called “The Journey Begins,” for being “too controversial.” As such, the commercial was tweaked and the version that will air on Sunday ends with a cliffhanger, as we don’t see their final destination.

On Friday, 84 Lumber directed viewers to visit the marketing campaign’s website on Sunday, Feb. 5, to see how the ad ends.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The commercial seems to be a nod to the current debate over immigration in the U.S. and President Donald Trump’s promises to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump was often criticized during his successful presidential campaign for denigrating Mexican immigrants and for repeatedly claiming that he would force Mexico to pay for the border wall. (For what it’s worth, AdWeek raised the possibility that the commercial, and the initial rejection, may have been an attempt at stirring up controversy all along.)

The version of the commercial that will air on Fox on Sunday can be seen here:

The commercial for 84 Lumber is not the only Super Bowl ad this year to appear to take a political stance. Anheuser-Busch (BUD) has an ad that tells the story of the Budweiser brand’s immigrant co-founder, Adolphus Busch, though the company claims the commercial is not a political comment. Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s Audi (VLKAY) released its own Super Bowl ad this week, which features a fairly political message advocating for equal pay for women.

(For a look at Fortune‘s complete list of this year’s Super Bowl ads, click here.)

84 Lumber has not revealed exactly how much it paid for the space to air the 90-second ad, but host network Fox was reportedly charging more than $5 million for each 30-second slot of commercial time, which could put the construction company’s tab at north of $15 million. (And, that’s not even factoring in the additional amounts companies typically spend producing and promoting their high-profile Super Bowl ads.)

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

Latest in

EconomyU.S. debt
As U.S. debt soars past $38 trillion, the flood of corporate bonds is a growing threat to the Treasury supply
By Jason MaJanuary 10, 2026
2 hours ago
PoliticsCongress
ICE shooting sets up budget standoff before shutdown deadline as deeper reforms eyed. ‘We must dismantle it and build it from the ground up again’
By Jason MaJanuary 10, 2026
4 hours ago
Middle EastIran
Dozens feared dead as Iran hit by largest protests in years
By Arsalan Shahla and BloombergJanuary 10, 2026
6 hours ago
InvestingStock Options
Investor Michael Burry reveals options bet against Oracle
By Carmen Reinicke, Jeran Wittenstein and BloombergJanuary 10, 2026
6 hours ago
Personal FinanceCredit cards
Trump wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. But such limits could harm consumers, experts warn
By Preston ForeJanuary 10, 2026
6 hours ago
walz
Politicsfraud
No, Trump can’t use example of fraud in Minnesota to block childcare subisidies to 5 blue states, judge says
By Geoff Mulvihill, Hannah Schoenbaum and The Associated PressJanuary 10, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Health
Bill Gates warns the world is going 'backwards' and gives 5-year deadline before we enter a new Dark Age
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
White House says it's 'reviewing protocols' after Trump seemingly violated federal policy by disclosing jobs data early
By Eva RoytburgJanuary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with 'zero' work experience because she 'thanked the security guard by name' before the interview
By Emma BurleighJanuary 8, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Silicon Valley billionaire flies coach out of solidarity: 'If I'm going to ask my employees to do it, I need to do it, too'
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon out-earns the average American’s salary in less than 20 hours—during a typical 30-minute commute, he’s already made $1,563
By Emma BurleighJanuary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z are arriving to college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJanuary 9, 2026
1 day ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.