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The Real Moral of the Tebow Story

Posted January 27 by Thomas Fowlkes in

If you haven't already heard, Tim Tebow will appear in a commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl that some have labeled as highly controversial, uncalled for and divisive. The Florida star quarterback and Focus on the Family, a right-wing, non-profit faith group, will debut a message that wields Tebow's life story to make the case against abortion.

Will the stance be divisive? Considering that half the population is registered as pro-choice, yes. Will it be controversial? It already is. Based on years of Super Bowl history, people have come to expect funny beer ads, not this admittedly strategic tie-in between the game and an issue that couldn't be farther from funny. All of this makes Focus on the Family's placement of the commercial a matter of brilliant timing. The game provides a captive and engaged audience; the content will provide a surprised audience as well. More importantly, the controversial placement has already generated priceless value as a public relations coup.

Focus on the Family takes a strong stance on a number of issues including evolution. Considering how far the group has come in order to pull off this brilliant public relations coup, we'd say their strategy seems pretty evolved.