Super Bowl viewers have jumped on social media to question Turkish Airlines’ noticeable sponsorship of the major US sporting event.
America’s biggest annual sporting event, which aired today, saw the airline launch its newest video campaign starring Morgan Freeman during the live broadcast and display its logo beneath the commentary table. The carrier also delivered the game to passengers on board all Sunday flights that had an internet connection.
Chief Marketing Officer of Turkish Airlines, Ahmet Olmustur, said it was a great opportunity to “organise a flight that offers the best experience at the highest level” and unveil its new video to the millions of sport fans.
Watch the clip below:
It’s not the first time Turkish Airlines has attached its brand to a major sporting match outside Turkey, it’s not even the first time Turkish Airlines has had an ad air during the Super Bowl – last year it was the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice-inspired video.
It’s also not a first for the aviation industry in general to sponsor international sporting events with airlines such as Etihad and Emirates spending millions over the years to place their name on tennis, soccer and football games (Etihad even has a whole stadium named after it here in Australia).
So why then did Turkish Airlines’ sponsorship of the Super Bowl this year attract so much attention?
Some praised the logo placement by acknowledging its message of #globalism:
#TurkishAirlines official sponsor of @NFL & #SuperBowl #Globalism pic.twitter.com/Wp3i6edPzL
— World-Wide News (@kencampbell66) February 5, 2017
Some saw the irony in an airline from a Muslim-majority country sponsoring a major US event while the US President attempts to keep people from other Muslim-majority countries out of the States:
https://twitter.com/RobAngel74/status/828366656267132928
Some recognised the double standard in the US for accepting money from one Muslim-majority country but not refugees and visitors from others:
Interesting that @FoxNews main advertisers for #SuperBowl is #turkishairlines a foreign airline-majority Muslim country #refugee #muslim
— abs (@basildogpuppy) February 5, 2017
Some criticised Fox Sport for taking money from an airline owned by a country is at times under fire by Fox News:
https://twitter.com/SeaLeeMo/status/828373580169687040
Then there were people like this who thought that to make ‘American great again’ the game should have American sponsorship:
Why are #TurkishAirlines sponsoring the #SuperBowl pre match show? Couldn't we find an American company? This has to stop under #KingTrump pic.twitter.com/8ILezL16ll
— Dotard J Moron (@TeflonDonTrump) February 5, 2017
But they were quickly called out by people like this who saw no problem with the sponsorship:
Islamophobes pissed #TurkishAirlines sponsors #SuperBowl pregame show. Next? Mad that arabic numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 used to show score.
— Christian Christensen (@ChrChristensen) February 5, 2017