Outrage at Superbowl 50 Colonial Williamsburg ad that used footage of 9/11 attacks

'September 11 should not be used to sell anything': Outrage at Superbowl ad to promote Colonial Williamsburg that used footage of the 9/11 attacks
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation ad was shown during the Superbowl
The commercial was aimed at promoting tourism at the historical attraction
It showed some of the defining moments in American history in reverse
However, the ad provoked outrage by showing clip of the 9/11 attacks
But the makers of the commercial said they stood by their minute-long ad


An ad shown during the Superbowl to promote tourism at Colonial Williamsburg has provoked outrage after using footage of the 9/11 attacks.
The commercial was shown across some areas of the U.S. including New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. and was produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
The minute-long promo for the 'living museum' showed some of the defining moments in American history in reverse such as the first flight, missions to space, suffragettes and even the inauguration of President of Barack Obama.

The voice-over, narrated by NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, asks where the American spirit first started to take shape, and answers that it was in Colonial Williamsburg.
However, one of the moments used in the ad, showed one of the towers of the World Trade Centre after it was hit by a plane.


It then shows in the reverse, one of the towers then collapsing to the ground, in the attack which killed almost 3,000.
It came as the voice-over states: 'When you reflect upon our sacrifices, our breakthroughs and yes, our heartbreaks, how is it possible that an entire country came to believe anything is possible.'

But after the commercial was broadcast during the Superbowl coverage, viewers flocked to social media branding the ad as 'shocking'.
Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam wrote: 'Did Colonial Williamsberg just show 9/11 footage in reverse? Seems a bit unearned.' (sic)
Matt Binder tweeted: 'Major superbowl commercial fail by Colonial Williamsburg. 9/11 shouldn't be used to sell anything but war.'
Michele Weisman said: 'Wow did that Colonial Williamsburg ad just show the twin towers go back up? #whatwereyouthinking #notcool'

Bob McKee wrote: 'I have never been to Colonial Williamsburg and thanks to their #superbowl50 I never will. Sept 11 should not be used to sell anything.'
While Costa Costidis added: 'Yea the terrible quality of both offenses is shocking, but not nearly as shocking as Colonial Williamsburg putting 9/11 footage in an ad.'
However, despite the the outrage, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation stood by their ad.
In a statement the Foundation's spokesman Joe Straw said: 'We understand and respect that some of the images in the ad are jarring
'However, the small data point of people who objected to some of the imagery in the ad does not represent the total viewership. Not even close.'
'All that is past is prologue. Our ad is meant to walk viewers backwards through time, challenging them to reflect on how our collective history and struggles shape who we are as Americans today. We cannot forget our sacrifices or our tragedies even as we celebrate our accomplishments.'