Genesis Edits Out A Helicopter From The Super Bowl Ad After Kobe Bryant Catastrophe

Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis released its first Super Bowl advertisement Tuesday night. But it was taken down by Wednesday afternoon. The company has decided to re-cut the Super Bowl commercial days before it telecasts in the game.

A stationary helicopter in the first seconds of the ad has been removed after the devastating helicopter crash Sunday that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other occupants.

The commercial, which features John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, aired on Entertainment Tonight. But the video is currently set to private on YouTube, CNBC reported.

“Today we re-cut our Super Bowl ad, to remove a stationary helicopter that was in the opening two seconds of the commercial,” a spokesperson for Genesis said to USA Today Sports. “The ad had been filmed, produced and delivered well before Sunday’s tragedy, so we took down the spot out of compassion and sensitivity to the families,” the spokesperson added.

In the 60-second Genesis Super Bowl commercial, Teigen and Legend host a going-away celebration for old luxury and welcoming the new luxury in the form of GV80 SUV. Innocean made the commercial for Genesis. The stationary helicopter’s role is not crucial and is used as a small prop to accentuate status and luxury.

After the Los Angeles Lakers star’s death on Jan. 26, celebrities mourned and celebrated his life as a sports star and wonderful human being. Legend tweeted that he was "sad and stunned."

“In Staples Arena, where Kobe created so many memories for all of us, preparing to pay tribute to another brilliant man we lost too soon, Nipsey Hussle. Life can be so brutal and senseless sometimes. Hold on to your loved ones. We miss you, Kobe,” he tweeted.

The untimely demise of Bryant, along with deaths of three budding basketball players, the pilot and four parents shocked not only Los Angeles but the entire world. The helicopter crashed over the weekend in California and bodies of Bryant, Gianna and others were found on site.