Dodge ad criticized over use of Martin Luther King Jr. speech

Dodge is facing backlash from social media users over the truck company’s Super Bowl ad, which features the voice of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

Twitter users slammed the company for using King’s speech to sell trucks, calling it “weird” and “crass.”

The commercial features a series of clips of people working and helping others, along with a voiceover of a speech King gave shortly before he was assassinated.

MSNBC correspondent Joy Reid tweeted that the commercial was “weird, and not in a good way.” {mosads}

Ok that was weird, and not in a good way, hearing MLK’s words used to sell products … #SuperBowlAds

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) February 4, 2018

The King Center and King’s daughter, Bernice King, have tweeted that they were not involved in approving the use of King’s words for 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 4, 2018

One Twitter user pointed out that the recording is an excerpt from one of King’s speeches that “warns against the dangers of unwise consumerism,” calling the ad “crass and gross.”

That MLK excerpt comes from “The Drum Major Instinct” speech, part of which warns against the dangers of unwise consumerism, and ends with King imagining his own funeral. So yeah, that commercial is as crass and gross as you were thinking.

— Joshua D. Rothman (@rothmanistan) February 4, 2018

Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.
Do not use MLK to sell trucks.#SBLII @Dodge

— Jayson D. Bradley (@jaysondbradley) February 4, 2018

it’s a bold move to use mlk to sell dodge rams during a game in a league that blackballed a man for speaking out against racism. yikes

— lindsey (@Lindzeta) February 4, 2018

When people of color aren’t included in the creative process, you get commercials like the Dodge Ram #SuperBowl spot… MLK wasn’t #builttoserve…

— Anna (@annaknutson03) February 4, 2018

There was audible painful groaning at the Super Bowl party I’m at as everyone realized Dodge Ram was trying to profit off of an MLK speech

— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) February 4, 2018