Dodge Used Part of a Martin Luther King Jr. Speech in Its Super Bowl Ad and People Aren't Having It
Who thought this was a good idea?
![Motor vehicle, Car, Vehicle, Automotive exterior, Bumper, Hood, Automotive tire, Grille, Tire, Auto part,](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/N6WaoW4VTbqxYC2sCVPDpD-415-80.jpg)
During the Super Bowl, Dodge Ram ran an ad that used part of a Martin Luther King Jr. speech, and people were not pleased.
"In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ram truck owners also believe in a life of serving others," Dodge wrote in the description of the ad on YouTube. "They serve because they’re driven by a higher calling. They serve because they feel a shared responsibility and commitment to their family and community. They serve because they’re men and women of their word. They serve because they know the world could use a little more kindness."
Many people on Twitter were upset with the company's decision to use the speech during a commercial, especially during Black History Month. Here are some of the best tweets about the problematic ad.
Using MLK Jr. speeches to sell trucks during Black History Month? 😒February 5, 2018
Not totally sure the Dodge RAM ad guys read that whole MLK speech.. https://t.co/QPa16BGv3d pic.twitter.com/3eFVZjb3BBFebruary 5, 2018
Not sure MLK’s dream was to drive a Dodge Ram.February 5, 2018
Yeah, because who knew MLK was talking about a Dodge Ram? Here I thought he was talking about equality.February 5, 2018
"I have a dream that my children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their fully loaded Dodge Ram 1500."February 5, 2018
I’m not sure what product I WOULDN’T feel icky about Martin Luther King, Jr., shilling for via archival audio, but Dodge Ram is pretty far down that list anyway.February 5, 2018
The worst commercials are those that use icons like Martin Luther King Jr to sell things like a Dodge Ram truck.February 5, 2018
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Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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