NEW YORK: An advertisement in support of the farmers’ protest in India was aired during the Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League played this year in Tampa, Florida.
The Super Bowl is the biggest and most viewed sporting and television event in the United States. The 30-second video depicting the Indian farmers’ campaign as the “largest protest in history” opens with a quote by US civil rights leader Martin Luther King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
It features news clips, photographs and video snippets of farmers who have been protesting on Delhi’s borders since November 2020 in an attempt to have the new farm laws repealed.
The clip also features a message from Mayor Jerry Dyer of the city of Fresno, California, who says, “We want you to know our brothers and sisters in India that we stand with you.” The video ends with the message “No Farmers, No Food, No Future”, along with the hashtag “#IStandWithFarmers”.
Produced by Tejivideo, a local photography and video production company, the video has been paid by the Sikh-American Community in Fresno. It was shared online by many Twitter users. According to reports, a 30-second “Super Bowl” advertisement can cost up to $5 million.
Super Bowl commercials are high-profile television advertisements known for their cinematic quality. Many of these commercials especially produced for the Super Bowl also feature celebrity cameos, and most of them go viral on the internet.
India’s farmer protests sparked international interest after tweets drawing attention to the movement by celebrities such as pop star Rihanna, climate activist Greta Thunberg and lawyer and niece of US vice president Kamala Harris, Meena Harris, went viral last week.
The video highlights that many people have lost their lives during the protest, journalists covering the protest have been arrested, internet access has been cut off and that there have been accusations of human rights violations.
The advertisement was funded by the Central Valley Sikh community to raise awareness about the farmers’ protests in India. The area is home to a large Sikh population.
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