Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, which has been a centerpiece of his campaign, wasn’t addressed directly during his first presidential debate with Hillary Clinton. But that didn’t stop advertisers from weighing in on the idea—and taking advantage of an excellent marketing opportunity.
In a 30-second spot that aired on major networks after the commercial-free debate, Celebrity Cruises referenced the “talk of building walls,” the “threats of keeping people out,” and the “rhetoric of fear,” and presented a succinct—and highly stylized—case for tearing down borders rather than building them up.
“Our lives aren’t made better when we close ourselves off to the world,” the narration argued over picturesque imagery of global landmarks and landscapes. “They’re made better when we open ourselves up to it.”
The commercial, which aired during ABC and CNN’s post-debate coverage, was reportedly ready months ago, but was held for release during the debate. It was apparently not meant only as an attack on Trump’s proposals.
“It’s in response to the rhetoric around the world,” Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo told the travel site Skift, which says she named Brexit, the surge in anti-immigrant hate crimes in the UK, and the refugee crisis in the Europe as examples.
Celebrity Cruises, which is based in Miami, wasn’t the only advertiser to weigh in on the controversial US border issue during last night’s post-debate coverage. Mexican beer brand Tecate mocked Trump’s proposed wall, using his own “tremendous” rhetoric, in a humorous spot that suggested people on both sides of the border put their differences aside and have a beer together.