Nationwide was the most mentioned Super Bowl advertiser on social media - but not for the right reasons

Nationwide ran two ads during the Super Bowl this year, but it was one that told the story of dead children (watch it below) that really got people talking.

So much so that Nationwide has landed itself the ominous title of the most-mentioned advertiser on social media during Super Bowl XLIX, according to quickfire analysis from digital marketing technology company Amobee Brand Intelligence across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

The ad, which featured a boy talking about all the life achievements he missed out on because he died in an accident, was an attempt to raise awareness about the fact that preventable childhood accidents are the leading cause of childhood death.

But the insurer was slammed on social media, with viewers calling the campaign "depressing." Almost two-thirds (64%) of the mentions about Nationwide were negative in sentiment, Amobee found. Just 12% were positive and 24% were neutral.

Following close after Nationwide in terms of mentions was Budweiser, but its data tells a different story. The beer brand ran three ads during the Super Bowl: "Lost Puppy" (which Business Insider declared the best Super Bowl XLIX commercial,) "Brewed the Hard Way," and "Coin" for its Bud Light brand.

Of its 234,810 mentions during the game 48% were positive, 40% were neutral, and 13% were negative (those numbers are rounded-up.)

Here's the Nationwide ad that got social media abuzz during the Super Bowl this year.

On game day, Nationwide later released this statement: "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."