84 Lumber’s ad resonating days after Super Bowl

In the aftermath of one of the most talked about Super Bowl commercials, 84 Lumber officials are hearing about the 90-second spot that set off passionate reactions from both sides.

That includes the Bradenton location at 2800 15th St. E., which has fielded numerous calls since the company’s first Super Bowl ad aired at halftime of Sunday night’s game.

In the commercial, a Spanish-speaking mother and daughter presumably headed for the United States encounter a wall. Given President Donald Trump’s plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico wall as well as his executive order on immigration, the ad – as well as its accompanying web video at journey84.com – was sure to stir emotions.

“It’s been negative and positive. It’s been a mix of both,” said Jake Eder, a co-manager at the building material company’s Bradenton store. “Some people liked it, some didn’t. Some thought it was brave and courageous.”

Eder said 84 Lumber staff was given support by the company’s upper management, knowing that controversy was likely to follow in the days after the ad first aired.

“They told us this could happen,” Eder said. “They wanted us ready.”

Maggie Hardy Magerko, 84 Lumber’s president and owner, told People magazine the ad wasn’t supposed to be political or pro-immigration, even though she is pro-President Trump and says a border wall needs to be built in order “to keep America safe.”

“If I thought the wall was negative, I wouldn’t have had the wall,” Magerko said.

The campaign quickly sparked split reactions across social media platforms as viewers flocked to 84 Lumber’s website to watch the conclusion of the video.

Regardless of intent, the Pennsylvania-based company with locations in 30 states seemingly got a good return from its first Super Bowl Sunday commercial – broadcaster Fox charged as much as $5 million for 30 seconds of ad time.

“This is a spot and a campaign that demands attention, serious reflection, spirited dialogue, and most importantly, tells the world who 84 Lumber is,” said Rob Schapiro, the chief creative officer at Brunner, the ad agency that teamed with 84 Lumber for the spot.

“With a platform like this, we had a responsibility to do more than create a commercial, but to create something meaningful that would get people talking about the housing industry in a positive way. And ignoring the conversation that’s taking place in the media and at every kitchen table in America just didn’t seem right.”

Get people talking they did, as Eder and his co-workers discovered the day after the ad debuted.

“They just told us how they feel,” Eder said. “Good or bad. It is what it is these days.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 12:38 PM with the headline "84 Lumber’s ad resonating days after Super Bowl."