Why Nationwide aired upsetting Super Bowl ad

Well, that ad sure packed an emotional punch for a company selling insurance.

Nationwide defended its choice to discuss a child's death by saying it wanted to start a conversation about safety and prevention.

"I'll never learn to ride a bike or get cooties," a little boy says in Nationwide's commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. "I'll never learn to fly or travel the world with my best friend."

The kid later deadpans, "I couldn't grow up because I died from an accident."

"At Nationwide, we believe in protecting what matters most, your kids," the commercial says as it ends.

Many folks felt it was depressing, upsetting, and even brought down the uplifting Super Bowl atmosphere.

Nationwide issued a statement on its website after the ad caused a stir on social media.

"Preventable injuries around the home are the leading cause of childhood deaths in America. Most people don't know that. Nationwide ran an ad during the Super Bowl that started a fierce conversation. The sole purpose of this message was to start a conversation, not sell insurance."

"We want to build awareness of an issue that is near and dear to all of us — the safety and well being of our children. We knew the ad would spur a variety of reactions. In fact, thousands of people visited MakeSafeHappen.com, a new website to help educate parents and caregivers with information and resources in an effort to make their homes safer and avoid a potential injury or death. Nationwide has been working with experts for more than 60 years to make homes safer. While some did not care for the ad, we hope it served to begin a dialogue to make safe happen for children everywhere."

Commuters at New York City's Penn Station generally had a more positive view of the ad than some social media folks.

"Being a parent of young kids you want to be reminded of those dangers in your house," said Joseph Hooper, who was traveling to the Washington, D.C., area. "You have to be proactive nowadays to make your house safe for your child, and unfortunately those are some of the dangers you often don't think about."

Hooper said that the ad was unlikely to make him buy Nationwide insurance. "I would be more concerned about tying the TV back to the wall and doing other things I need to do, such as keeping the chemicals out of the way."

Another traveler, Tiffany Hall, heading to the Washington, D.C., area with her husband and two young daughters, also was positive about the ad. "It was very moving. It was definitely something you would remember and something that made you stop and think. Watching it with little ones, especially, made you stop and think."

Neeru Paharia, assistant professor of marketing at Georgetown University, says fear-based ads may be more effective.

"They definitely get your attention," she said. However, from a brand perspective, Nationwide could be thought of negatively for airing an ad that isn't happy or funny.

"People might have a darker association with your company and yet at the same time it is probably more motivating, Paharia said. "Some of the scenarios they showed at the end, like the TV falling down or the bathtub, if you have a child, I think it definitely would hit home."

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Contributing: Matthew Diebel and Jason Allen from New York