Martin Luther King Jr. Dodge Ram Super Bowl Ad

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Paula Rogo Feb, 05, 2018

A Dodge Ram truck ad that aired during the Super Bow LIIl received immediate backlash Sunday for the use of a Martin Luther King, Jr. speech.

The ad used a track from one King’s final sermons, “The Drum Major Instinct,” delivered exactly 50 years ago from Super Bowl Sunday. The sermon was used as a voiceover as different people performed acts of service. The clip was meant to showcase the company’s volunteer program.

We are all built to serve, but it takes will and courage to do what's right. Tell us how you aid your community with #RamBuiltToServe and watch our Big Game moments here: https://t.co/MNjwAXYmXw #SBLII pic.twitter.com/BcWTZectHq
— RamTrucks (@RamTrucks) February 5, 2018

But many on Twitter were not here for it:

So Martin Luther King Jr. can be used to sell Ram trucks but not a single NFL player can #TakeAKnee to fight the very injustice Dr. King dedicated and sacrificed his life to fight. #SuperBowl
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) February 5, 2018

OMG someone overlayed that ridiculous Dodge/MLK ad with what King actually said about capitalism and car commercials pic.twitter.com/9IB528mCyt
— Astead (@AsteadWesley) February 5, 2018

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

I'd say, "Hey MLK I gotta chop some wood but my Dodge Ram may not be able to handle all the wood I chop" and MLK would be like, "Let me meet you down there by the wood chopping area with my matching Dodge Ram." We'd haul the wood then go fight for civil rights later that day.
— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) February 5, 2018

According to Slate, the King estate approved the audio used in the ad:

“The brand ‘worked closely with the representatives of the Martin Luther King Jr. estate to receive the necessary approvals.'”

pic.twitter.com/c8mXipoPkD
— RamTrucks (@RamTrucks) February 5, 2018

But the King Center took to Twitter to clarify that they were not involved in the approval process.

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

But no matter who approved, it’s clear that using MLK Jr.’s words for the gains of capitalism rubbed many the wrong way.