84 Lumber's Ad About a Mexican Family Is Sure to Court Controversy. Was That the Plan All Along?

Real controversy or PR stunt?

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No ad in this year’s Super Bowl has inspired more confusion and speculation than that of building-materials company 84 Lumber. The work itself, which went live today, is clearly intended to increase the chatter.

The 90-second spot, “The Journey Begins,” appears to depict a Mexican woman and her daughter taking a long journey by truck and on foot, crossing fields and rivers, and stopping in the desert to rest along the way.

Given the recent election of President Trump and ensuing conversations about American immigration policy, viewers may infer that the protagonist in “The Journey Begins” is illegally immigrating to the U.S.,

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