Entertainment

This NFL Ad Was All About Acceptance

by Lia Beck
NFL/YouTube

The theme of Sunday's Super Bowl was that the Falcons and Lady Gaga were killing it. But the theme of Sunday's Super Bowl commercials was pretty political, with many ads featuring messages about acceptance and the diverse mixture of people that makes up the U.S. Included in this was a spot from the NFL called "Inside These Lines" that, through an extended metaphor about football, made a reference to the U.S. being a melting pot, a nation of immigrants.

The ad, which features a piano sample of Lonnie Liston Smiths' "Garden of Peace," which you may know better as being sampled in Jay Z's "Dead Presidents," shows scenes from football games, as well as some classic moments from the sport. Along with the clips, there is a voiceover narration that reads as follows:

“Inside these lines, we don’t have to come from the same place to help each other reach the same destination. Inside these lines, we may have our differences, but recognize there’s more that unites us. Inside these lines, it’s a game of inches and there’s no such thing as an easy yard when you’re fighting to move forward. Inside these lines we’re not only defined by our victories, but by the way we handle our defeats. Inside these lines we can bring out the best in each other and live united inside these lines."

While the ad shows lines being drawn on the field, at the end, it shows that an outline of the U.S. has been drawn, making it very clear that the meaning of the narration was about more than just football. Instead, the diversity of the football field represents that of America. It's a powerful message, especially in the current political climate.

While "Inside These Lines" doesn't make a political statement about one party or the other, it's more about everyone coming together as Americans and recognizing what's so great about this country. And that should be someone we can all get behind.