Social Media Responds to Scientology Super Bowl Ad

During NBC’s pre-game coverage before Super Bowl LII kicked off, the network aired a commercial for Scientology. The spot was very short, but still long enough to get viewers scratching their heads.

The very short ad started with someone searching “What is Scientology” on Google. Then, there are shots of the Scientology information center on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, and a shot of Times Square in New York edited to have “Scientology” on a billboard.

The clip also included shots of the Church of Scientology on Sunset Boulevard and other Scientology activities. Some of their symbols were also included.

“Curious? We thought so,” read the slogan. The ad then told viewers to go to Scientology.org.

The ad made viewers at home feel uncomfortable.

One viewer criticized NBC for airing the commercial, but not airing an ad from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

One fan called on Leah Remini, who hosts an A&E documentary series exposing the secrets of Scientology, to stop NBC.

This is not the first time Scientology has aired a commercial during the Super Bowl. According to Tony Ortega, a blogger and critic of Scientology, this is the sixth year in a row with an ad for the controversial church.

“Scientology’s Super Bowl ads are really aimed at Scientologists themselves, particularly the wealthy donors, to convince them that the church is actually a big deal. It isn’t. It’s tiny and shrinking, and the ads are met with derision from the public,” Ortega tweeted after the 2018 spot aired.

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