Uber Eats, a sector of the ride-sharing company, unveiled its 60-second 2024 Super Bowl commercial on Feb. 6, revolving around the theme of forgetfulness. The ad features stars such as David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston, David and Victoria Beckham, Jelly Roll, and Usher, as well as ordinary individuals making absent-minded blunders.
One scene in the ad, however, sparked outrage as it depicted a man suffering from a severe allergic reaction to peanuts after absentmindedly consuming peanut butter. The spot received backlash from the not-for-profit advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education, which criticized Uber Eats for using a life-threatening allergy as a source of humor.
In response to the criticism, Uber Eats CEO Dr. Sung Poblete announced on Feb. 9 that the company had agreed to remove the controversial scene from the ad before it airs during the Super Bowl. The original commercial included a disclaimer at the bottom, but the move did not appease critics, who took to social media to express their distress and anger over the insensitive depiction of a serious medical condition.
An individual commented on Twitter, suggesting that the ad should replace the peanut-allergic character with someone forgetful about taking insulin or medication for PTSD to highlight the insensitivity of the peanut-allergy joke.
