This Coke ad from the Super Bowl game has gotten a surprising backlash. It seems that many are unhappy with the “pro-graffiti” message that they feel it sends.

Each scenario that is shown opens with a moment of tension for the viewer. You have a moment of pause and fear that you are witnessing a situation that is about to go terribly wrong. We quickly see that people can still surprise with their actions.

The graffiti segment, which is only seconds long, mirrors this pattern. Even as a supporter of street art I felt a moment of trepidation when I saw the graffiti artist paint. The word PEACE in flourished letters was a pleasant unexpected treat.

I thought that was the point of the commercial. People aren’t always going to do the worst thing that you can imagine. Does this make the ad pro-graffiti? I’d love to hear what you think!