Super Bowl Ads: Tebow Spot Not Likely To Steal Thunder On Sunday

While Focus on the Family's Super Bowl spot starring former Univ. of Florida QB Tim Tebow has received much of the pregame buzz, ad execs believe that by Sunday the "playing field will have pretty much leveled out," according to David Hinckley of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. When the companies advertising during the game "roll out their showcase work in one high-visibility venue, you get an all-star game, not a narrow showcase." Juma Entertainment President Bob Horowitz said the Tebow spot has "gotten a lot of attention, which is part of what Focus on the Family was hoping for." But he added, "Does it draw attention away from everyone else's ads? Not at all." Horowitz: "The talk about Focus on the Family spot gave them good promotion for their investment. But I don't think the Super Bowl will become a forum for advocacy guys. That's not what it's about" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 2/3). In Boston, Donna Goodison notes while the "most memorable ads of Super Bowls past were singled out for their creativity, zaniness and pure entertainment value," the Focus on the Family ad "has been generating the most pre-game hype and controversy this year." Ad agency Mullen spokesperson David Swaebe said, "When you try to insinuate politics into something that’s supposed to be purely entertainment, it’s bound to cause a polarizing reaction" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/4).

SUPER BOWL WORTHY? In Philadelphia, Ashley Fox writes, "While I personally strongly disagree with his stance on the issue, I do support Tebow's right to free speech. He's entitled to his opinion. So often, athletes are afraid to take a stance on politics or social causes." But Fox added, "I'm not sure this Tebow commercial is Super Bowl material. It's our national sports holiday. Can't they just keep the commercials light and funny?" The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER's John Gonzalez adds, "Everyone has an opinion, but not everyone has the guts to express it." But he notes, "During the Super Bowl, I'd rather laugh than focus on something heavy" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/4). The Washington Post's Gene Wang: "Honestly, as a football fan, ... I just wish this would go away. If you don't like the ad, get up during the commercial, go get a beer, get some nachos, wait until it's over, then come back" ("Washington Post Live," Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, 2/3).

GETTING POLITICAL: Author Tom Krattenmaker "scoffs at the suggestion the ad is not political." He said, "Even if Tim and Pam Tebow do not intend to make a political statement, there's no avoiding the inherently political nature of this message" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/4). In Florida, Peter Kerasotis: "People are saying this will be the most controversial commercial in Super Bowl history. Tim Tebow is no longer pushing the ball up the field. He's pushing the envelope" (FLORIDA TODAY, 2/4).

Watch Planned Parenthood's Response To Focus On The Family Super Bowl Spot

GIVING THEIR RESPONSE: SPORTINGNEWS.com's Dan Levy noted the Focus on The Family spot is the "most widely discussed and debated ad in the history of the Super Bowl," and "everyone with an opinion is giving one." That includes Planned Parenthood, who issued a response video "to the ad we've yet to see." The Planned Parenthood spot "doesn't preach Pro Choice, per se, it just asks people to trust the decisions of women." Levy: "In essence, the ad features male athletes preaching to think twice before following the preachings of another male athlete this weekend" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 2/3).

EYE IS THE BEHOLDER: CBS rejected an ad from gay dating site ManCrunch.com, and ADWEEK's Tim Arnold wrote the network apparently is "invoking some kind of arbitrary 'right' to refuse to air commercials on its programs for reasons variously described as 'controversial,' or 'not up to CBS broadcast standards.'" Arnold: "Don't you wonder if any of this has anything to do with the impact other major advertisers can have on the commercial content of the company they keep?" CBS knows "what kind of issues garner big-bucks support, and it's sending a clear signal it's ready for this kind of money, now" (ADWEEK.com, 2/3). Comcast SportsNet's Ivan Carter said of the Focus on the Family ad, "If you're going to show that ad, then you shouldn't pull the ad that was kind of a humorous one about a gay dating site. … I wonder if CBS is, just by taking this ad, opening up a can of worms here. Are they being consistent?" ("Washington Post Live," CSN Mid-Atlantic, 2/3).