Cheri Green signed her now 10-year-old daughter up for the Northern Area Boys & Girls Club of Western PA two years ago, never expecting it would lead to a role in a national Super Bowl ad.
When the invitation came to have CiAnna Green appear alongside Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward, she said jumped at the chance.
“CiAnna would love to because she is such a little performer,” Green said.
The ad is part of the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative, which is aimed at reducing barriers to opportunity, particularly in communities of color, according to its website.
Filmed at Marburger Football and Baseball Field in Mars, this year’s commercial stars more than 12 local kids ages five to 10 from the Boys & Girls Club of Western PA’s Millvale location.
Nationally, the youth organization has more than 5,500 individual club sites, said Boys & Girls Club of Western PA CEO Chris Watt. In Western Pennsylvania, the youth organization has 11 club sites.
Watt said that the organization’s participation in the commercial was about creating experiences for the kids.
“We’re looking for opportunities and experiences to expose our kids to things that can open up their minds to what’s possible,” Watt said.
The ad was filmed over a three-hour window in November. For the commercial, the kids learned to sing “You Are Special” by Fred Rogers from the Oakland-based television “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
As a mother, Green said she tries to instill the message that everyone is special because of their individual talents, making the ad a perfect opportunity to talk about the meaning of the song with her daughter, who loves to sing and dance.
Green, who moved to Millvale from Hawaii in 2011, said she had never been an avid NFL viewer. Hawaii does not have a professional football team. But, after meeting Heyward and watching him interact with the children, she has become more interested.
Heyward has long been a supporter of the Boys & Girls Club, celebrating his 30th birthday with the organization in 2019.
The NFL posted a shortened version of the ad on social media featuring Heyward, former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
Kickoff for Super Bowl LX is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Last year the Super Bowl averaged a record 127.7 million U.S. viewers across television and streaming platforms.
“Super Bowl ads or moments like this, where we can tell the story, or at least connect our mission to brighter platforms really help folks understand that what we do matters,” Watt said.