A Mercer Co. family set to star in a Super Bowl ad

VIOLA, Ill. (KWQC) - Mercer Co. farmer Chad Bell and his family are set to appear in a Super Bowl commercial.

“My initial reaction was I was pretty surprised and also happy to be able to represent Illinois farmers,” Bell said. “I just want to be able to be a voice for Illinois farmers and help bridge the gap between the farming industry and the consumers.”

The commercial was produced by Illinois Farm Families, a coalition of agricultural groups, and the commercial will launch the group’s ‘We are the 96′ campaign.

“‘We are the 96′ basically describes that 96% of farms in Illinois are family-owned and operated,” said Lindsay Mitchell, director of communications and marketing for Illinois Corn. “There is a perception that farms are run by corporations, and we wanted to set the record straight.”

Both Bell and Mitchell said the commercial can help strengthen the relationship between farmers and consumers.

“If we can show consumers that most of the farms that they see driving down the interstate are family farms, then we can hopefully bridge that gap between the farmers and consumers,” Bell said.

“In general, it’s becoming harder and harder to trust information,” Mitchell said. “Building a connection with people who are local and people who are families really just helps us feel a level of trust in our food that we can all feel comfortable with. Our farmers are interested in helping people understand how they are growing their food and where their food comes from.”

Mitchell said the commercial is a chance to celebrate the hard work of farmers across Illinois.

“As we talk as a whole society about celebrating each other’s differences and different experiences, I think this is just another opportunity to learn about something different that happens in our state and about the families that are sort of empowering our food production,” Mitchell said.

For Bell, the idea of seeing his family in a Super Bowl commercial still has not sunk in.

“It’s probably gonna be an indescribable feeling,” Bell said.

The commercial is set to run during the first half of the Super Bowl. Mitchell said there will be other commercials and innovative ways to showcase other Illinois farmers later this year.

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.