The insurance company Allstate is facing calls for a boycott from conservatives on the social media platform X following its Sugar Bowl advertisement that seemed to blame the “addiction to divisiveness and negativity” shared by United States citizens for the New Year’s Day terrorist attack that claimed 14 lives in New Orleans.
Allstate’s commercial featured its CEO, Tom Wilson, and was broadcast during the Sugar Bowl game, which was held in New Orleans and delayed one day by the terrorist attack authorities say was committed by Shamsud Din Jabbar (pictured here).
Wilson noted Allstate’s sponsorship of the game, then stated that “tragedy struck the New Orleans community,” and offering prayers for the victims.
“We also need to be stronger together, by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity,” the Allstate executive then instructed his audience, before inviting Americans to join the company to “amplify the positive, increase trust, and accept people’s imperfections and differences,” because, “Together, we win.”
The advertisement was broadcast as the FBI confirmed the incident was a terrorist attack, and stated that Jabbar swore allegiance to ISIS in five videos uploaded to Facebook, prompting outcry and calls to boycott the insurance company.
“Prediction: [Allstate] has a serious problem on their hands over this Sugar Bowl message,” wrote Nashville-based radio host Clay Travis, who called it “[t]one deaf on an epic scale,” and predicted the company may share a fate with Bud Light, which saw a dramatic loss in revenues after working with a transgender social media influencer.
Prediction: @Allstate has a serious mess on their hands over this Sugar Bowl message. Tone deaf on an epic scale. They may get Bud Light’d. Look out: pic.twitter.com/DbON0pywib
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 3, 2025
Robby Starbuck, the Tennessee filmmaker who has secured policy changes that strip controversial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plans from companies as large as Walmart, said the video was disconnected from the American people.
He wrote, “Only major companies somehow get this out of touch with society. To normal people this sounds like [Allstate] giving cover to an ISIS terrorist as if he wouldn’t have killed those people if we all accepted his backwards ideology. This is the definition of suicidal empathy.”
Only major companies somehow get this out of touch with society. To normal people this sounds like @Allstate giving cover to an ISIS terrorist as if he wouldn’t have killed those people if we all accepted his backwards ideology. This is the definition of suicidal empathy. https://t.co/rWOvMKTYBg
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 2, 2025
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who has been credited with leading a successful door-knocking operation ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in November, specifically criticized Allstate’s message about divisiveness.
“A jihadist killed and maimed dozens of innocent Americans in a hate-fueled rampage, and the CEO of Allstate thinks Americans watching the Sugar Bowl need a lecture from him on overcoming ‘an addiction to divisiveness and negativity?'” Kirk wrote, “Absolutely not!!”
Sean Davis, the co-founder and CEO of the conservative website, The Federalist, said it was “[t]ime to cancel Allstate.”
Davis questioned, “Do you really want an insurance company that talks about murder and terrorism this way?”
The FBI confirmed it is reviewing the videos published by Jabbar prior to the attack, including those where he reportedly revealed a plot to kill his family and pledged allegiance to ISIS. The agency declined to answer a Friday press inquiry that sought to determine whether the videos are being reviewed by the same FBI unit that sent a memo “strongly” advising Metro Nashville Police Department against releasing the Covenant School killer’s manifesto.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
