Many Say Ram Truck Super Bowl Ad Exploited MLK, But His Estate Approved It
A furor erupted last night over a Ram Truck Super Bowl ad featuring a sermon from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Critics attacked the spot for commercializing Dr. King to sell a truck. However, the King Estate is defending its decision to allow the sermon to be used.
The Commercial Itself
On February 4, 1968, King delivered his “Drum Major Instinct” sermon. Exactly 50 years later, Ram Trucks used that sermon in a spot called “Built to Serve.”
As King’s prophetic voice rings out, moving images play out of average citizens helping others, loving on one another. Volunteers cleaning up after disaster, a volunteer handing out food, a fireman rescuing a child, Marines on the march, a football team kneeling in prayer. A teacher, a doctor, a returning soldier. Intercut are shots of Ram Trucks.
“Recognize,” King says, “that he who would be great among you shall be your servant. That’s the new definition of greatness. Given that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great.” The clip ends with King saying: “Everybody can be great. You only need a heart full of grace; soul generated by love” as the ad cuts to the graphic saying: “Built to Serve. Ram.”
Here is the commercial:
The Reaction
Outrage went quickly from 0-to-60 on social media. People slammed Fiat Chrysler’s Ram division for using King’s soaring words to sell a pick-up truck.
New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow led the charge.
The blatant commodification of black culture, black struggle and black pain illustrates perfectly how America is perfectly willing to exploit blackness but perfectly incapable of honoring it. #DodgeRam #MLK
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) February 5, 2018
MSNBC’s Joy Reid dropped her Doritos to tweet.
This right here. Because that Dodge Ram ad was not OK. #SuperBowlAds https://t.co/UIdi4AV15w
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) February 5, 2018
One woman on Twitter noted she was “not totally sure the Dodge RAM ad guys read that whole MLK speech.” Using that particular sermon to sell cars contradicts what came later in the sermon. Dr. King decried unchecked commercialism, including people spending too much on cars.
“But so often, haven’t you seen people making five thousand dollars a year and driving a car that costs six thousand? And they wonder why their ends never meet,” King said. “I want to move to the point of saying that if this instinct is not harnessed, it becomes a very dangerous, pernicious instinct.”
Not totally sure the Dodge RAM ad guys read that whole MLK speech.. https://t.co/QPa16BGv3d pic.twitter.com/3eFVZjb3BB
— Kate Aronoff (@KateAronoff) February 5, 2018
The King Center and Dr. King’s daughter Dr. Bernice King quickly made clear they had nothing to do with the commercial.
Neither @TheKingCenter nor @BerniceKing is the entity that approves the use of #MLK’s words or imagery for use in merchandise, entertainment (movies, music, artwork, etc) or advertisement, including tonight’s @Dodge #SuperBowl commercial.
— The King Center (@TheKingCenter) February 5, 2018
Defending the Commercial
On Monday, both the King estate and Fiat Chrysler U.S. defended the commercial.
Dr. King Used in Earlier Car Ads
AdAge points out this is not the first time an automaker has featured Reverend King in an advertisement. “General Motors in 2006 used him, along with images of Muhammad Ali and others in a spot for its Chevy Silverado. Mercedes-Benz also used footage of King in a 2010 ad.”
“We worked closely with the representatives of the Martin Luther King Jr. estate to receive the necessary approvals and estate representatives were a very important part of the creative process every step of the way,” the Fiat Chrysler spokesperson said, according to The Detroit Free Press.
The spokesman insisted the ad meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the speech and its message of service.
The King estate traditionally holds tight guard on use of Dr. King’s speeches and likeness. Intellectual Properties Management, which represents the estate, explained why they partnered with Ram on the ad.
When Ram approached the King Estate with the idea of featuring Dr King’s voice in a new “Built To Serve” commercial, we were pleasantly surprised at the existence of the Ram Nation volunteers and their efforts,’ a statement read.
We learned that as a volunteer group of Ram owners, they serve others through everything from natural disaster relief, to blood drives, to local community volunteer initiatives.
Once the final creative was presented for approval, it was reviewed to ensure it met our standard integrity clearances. We found that the overall message of the ad embodied Dr King’s philosophy that true greatness is achieved by serving others. Thus we decided to be a part of Ram’s ‘Built To Serve’ Super Bowl program.
The Ram Nation volunteers angle was not made obvious in the commercial.
Giving Reverend Martin Luther King — and Jesus — the Final Word
In light of the King estate’s support of the ad, it’s hard to call it a flagrant foul on his memory. And the message remains. It the message of Christ: “True greatness is achieved by serving others.”
King took his sermon from Mark 10:25-35. He doesn’t preach Ram Trucks, but he does drive home the words of Jesus:
“But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.”
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, and co-author of the upcoming Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him on Twitter @StreamingAl.
