Allstate CEO Tom Wilson faces MAGA backlash following bizarre Sugar Bowl ad in the wake of New Orleans attack
Allstate’s CEO brazenly declared that the US has an ‘addiction to divisiveness’ 24 hours after Shamsud-Din Jabbar murdered 14 people on Bourbon Street during the Sugar Bowl
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Your support makes all the difference.The CEO of Allstate Tom Wilson has been heavily criticized after featuring in a bizarre advert played at the Sugar Bowl in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.
The highly-anticipated college football fixture, which saw the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the Georgia Bulldogs, was postponed by 20 hours after Shamsud-Din Jabbar killed 14 people after ramming a truck into a crowd of revellers on Bourbon Street on Wednesday morning.
Prior to kick-off on Thursday, Wilson, who according to the latest figures by Insurance Business earned almost $19 million in 2022, gave an address to the Caeser’s Superdome crowd and ESPN’s television audience.
“Welcome to the Allstate Sugar Bowl,” said the insurance executive, whose company sponsors the event. “Wednesday, tragedy struck the New Orleans community. Our prayers are with the victims and their families.”
Wilson continued: “We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity. Join Allstate working in local communities all across America to amplify the positive, increase trust, and accept peoples’ imperfections and differences. Together we win.”
The Allstate chief executive ignited a storm of backlash on X from MAGA supporters following his remarks.
“Wtf is wrong with this guy,” wrote Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Charlie Kirk, founder of conservative youth not-for-profit, Turning Point USA, added: “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?’ Absolutely not.”
“Turned on the Notre Dame - Georgia game for it to start with this ridiculous propaganda from @Allstate on yesterday’s terrorist attack,” wrote Isabel Brown, a Turning Point USA contributor who first went viral for sharing the clip on X. “You’re JOKING.”
“Time to cancel @Allstate,” wrote Sean Davis, co-founder of right-wing online magazine The Federalist.
Allstate issued a statment following the backlash, with social media users taking particular issue with Wilson declaring the US has an “addiction to divisiveness and negativity”.
“To be clear, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson unequivocally condemns this heinous act of terrorism and violence in all forms,” the statement read. “We stand with the families of the victims, their loved ones and the community of New Orleans.”
It added: “The reference to overcoming divisiveness and negativity reflects a broader commitment to fostering trust and positivity in communities across the nation.”
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