UberEats' Super Bowl Ad Misses the Mark: A Serious Look at Peanut Allergies

In the whirlwind of Super Bowl commercials, one advertisement by UberEats sparked more than just amusement—it ignited outrage within our food allergy community. The commercial featured a segment that made light of peanut allergies, using the premise of forgetting things to make room for new memories. In the midst of the humor, a man is shown experiencing an allergic reaction while absentmindedly indulging in peanut butter straight from the jar.

As someone who considers myself open-minded and light-hearted, I can appreciate a good joke. However, peanut allergies are no laughing matter. My own journey as a parent of a child with a peanut allergy spans 18 years, marked by moments of fear and urgency, including two trips to the ER in the past year alone, both requiring the use of epinephrine. These experiences are real, they are terrifying, and they underscore the gravity of peanut allergies. If you'd like to read more about our recent trip to the ER and the challenges we faced, you can find it in my earlier blog post.

Tragically, the recent passing of Orla Baxendale, a talented young dancer, serves as a poignant reminder of the life-threatening nature of food allergies. Orla's death, attributed to a mislabeled package of cookies containing peanuts, has sent shockwaves through the food allergy community. We rely on food labels for more than just convenience; they are a matter of life and death. You can read more about Orla's story in the Allergic Living articles and watch the Today's Show segment here. 

The timing of UberEats' ad couldn't be worse. Food allergies are not a joke. They are not a choice. They are literally life-threatening conditions that affect millions of individuals worldwide. My son's diagnosis inspired me to start Allergy Apparel in 2008, and our commitment to raising awareness and supporting the allergy community remains steadfast.

Personally, I've never used UberEats, and I won't be supporting them after this insensitive move. Let's spread awareness and empathy, not mockery. In a world where bullying is already an excessive problem among our youth, advertisements like this only serve to exacerbate the issue. It's time to do better, one person, one ad, one post, one conversation at a time.

Together, let's raise our voices, advocate for change, and create a world where everyone feels seen, heard, and understood.