I think we can all agree that Super Bowl 53 did not deliver a good game or a decent half-time show. If, like me, you nodded off from time to time, don't worry, you're not alone. As with Super Bowls of past years, the money was in the advertising which is honestly the only reason I stuck around. I'm glad I did because I found my favorite ad:
The egg.
From the creators of world_record_egg came a 30-second spot highlighting mental health and the role social media plays in creating mental health disorders.
Let's back up for a moment and talk about the origins of this famed egg. It had one simple goal when it was launched: dethrone Kylie Jenner's status as the record holder for the most-liked Instagram photo. It worked. The egg was liked over 52 million times, which is nearly three times more than the 18 million likes on Kylie Jenner's photo. Although this meant the egg was now in a position to make lucrative advertising deals, the creators chose to go the route of a PSA instead of making a huge cash-grab by selling out to a big brand.
The ad was teased by a marketing scheme that emerged on the Instagram account leading up to the Super Bowl, in which the egg began to crack. Though simple, the ad effectively delivered its message. The pressures of social media cracked the egg and prompted anyone experiencing a mental health issue to reach out and talk to someone or visit www.talkingegg.info for a list of non-profits across the world specializing in mental health services.
While the responses were both positive and negative, I think a big part of the message was missed.
The egg was in the best position possible to deliver the message of talking to someone if you are experiencing a mental health issue.
It wasn't only about a cracking egg urging people to reach out. No, it was about the link between social media and mental health. Its origins and intent, although successful and witty, point to our obsession with earning the most likes on social media platforms. This pressure, an insane one we put on ourselves, translates into varying types and degrees of mental health issues.
