Uber Eats faced backlash and was forced to make changes to its Super Bowl LVIII advert after receiving complaints that it made light of people with peanut allergies. The annual Super Bowl, watched by over 100 million people, attracts the world's biggest brands vying for screen time during the event. Uber was among them, preparing a minute-long advert featuring celebrities like Victoria and David Beckham, Jennifer Aniston, and David Schwimmer. However, just days before the Super Bowl, the advert was edited due to accusations of insensitivity towards those with peanut allergies.
The advert begins with Jennifer Aniston receiving a delivery from Uber Eats, to which she responds, "You know what they say, to remember something you've got to forget something else." The advert then showcases various scenarios where people forget things, including David Beckham asking Victoria if she was called “Pepper Lady” and Aniston forgetting she worked with David Schwimmer on Friends. Controversially, the original advert also featured a man forgetting he had a peanut allergy, which sparked public outcry.
Uber made the decision to edit out the scene of the man having an allergic reaction to peanut butter after receiving criticism. The Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) charity expressed gratitude to Uber for agreeing to make the change. Sung Poblete, FARE's CEO, stated that she had spoken with Uber and believed they would be an ally in raising awareness about life-threatening food allergies.
However, not everyone agreed with the decision to remove the peanut butter scene. Some viewers on the edited advert on YouTube expressed disappointment and called for the original version to be reinstated. One person stated that as someone with a peanut allergy, they found the scene hilarious and believed it should have been kept in the advert.
Uber Eats' Super Bowl commercial centered around the theme of forgetfulness, featuring celebrities and regular people making absent-minded mistakes. However, one scene in particular received criticism. It depicted a man experiencing an allergic reaction to peanut butter, with hives and a swollen eye, who realizes that peanuts are the primary ingredient. The not-for-profit advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education condemned the use of life-threatening food allergies as humor and called for an end to such insensitivity.
Sung Poblete, CEO of FARE, revealed that she had spoken with Uber, and the company agreed to remove the scene featuring the allergic reaction from the Super Bowl broadcast. However, the original ad remains available on YouTube, albeit at an unlisted link. Some critics argued that simply updating the ad was not enough and expressed frustration at the portrayal of food allergies as forgettable and funny. They emphasized the importance of taking allergies seriously and the potential deadly consequences of not doing so.
Overall, Uber Eats faced a public backlash and was compelled to make changes to its Super Bowl advert due to accusations of making light of peanut allergies. While some viewers appreciated the decision to remove the scene, others felt that it should have remained, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding the portrayal of sensitive topics in advertising.
