What it had to solve
Uber Eats wanted to tell viewers that it delivers far more than food, using a Super Bowl spot where celebrities forget something in order to remember the app.
The idea
An ad built on 'to remember something you have to forget something else', with one forgetting gag that made light of a peanut allergy before it was removed.
How it works
The 60-second spot had Jennifer Aniston, Jelly Roll, Usher and others each forgetting something. The original online version, released Feb 6, included a man in an allergic reaction to peanut butter; the broadcast version replaced it with about two seconds of actor Keith Leak Jr. forgetting what it means to take a seat.
What it did
FARE's CEO said she spoke with Uber, which agreed to cut the scene, calling it 'an amazing outcome'; the version that ran on CBS lacked it. Uber Eats did not respond to requests for comment from Fortune or CBC.
Background
Uber Eats' Super Bowl spot told viewers that in order to remember something, you have to forget something else: Jennifer Aniston forgot her Friends romance with David Schwimmer, Jelly Roll forgot his face is tattooed, and Usher forgot he had just played the halftime show.
The version released online on Feb 6, 2024 also showed a man mid-reaction, one eye swelling shut, realising peanuts are the main ingredient of peanut butter. Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) said the next day that it was 'surprised and disappointed' to see Uber Eats joke about life-threatening food allergy, and Food Allergy Canada's executive director said the brand did not understand this consumer base. By Feb 9, FARE's CEO said Uber had agreed to cut the bit, and the broadcast version swapped it for a short gag about a man forgetting how to sit down.
Why it lands
The joke targeted the very group a food-delivery brand needs to reassure, and advocacy groups reacted within a day.
Fortune credits hundreds of 'food allergy moms' who took to Instagram, amplified by allergy-focused outlets, for the change of heart.
A brand expert quoted by CBC said the spot was otherwise funny and effective, and the one scene was a risk the brand did not need to take.
What you can take
Test a gag against the community it touches before the big stage: a few seconds of a joke cost the spot its goodwill with an audience a food-delivery brand wants to serve.
Since then
The scene was dropped before the spot aired on CBS's Super Bowl telecast. FARE's CEO thanked the company for hearing the community's perspective and said she hoped to foster an environment where health conditions are never treated lightly. The sources record no sales or audience figures for the ad.
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