The Eagle Eye

Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News

Media Credit: http://media.al.com Tim Tebowis the center of media attention with his pro-life ad

Media Credit: www.artuji.com Mancrunch.com's Super Bowl ad was pulled due to "lack of funds," which led to accusations that discrimination was the motive

As the biggest night in football approaches, so does the biggest night of advertising. As usual, viewers can expect to see ads for beer, cars, and every brand of junk food known to human kind.

Studies have shown that of the 100 million viewers, most will pay more attention to these 30 second blurbs than to the actual game.

While most will be looking for a hearty laugh or something to talk about around the water-cooler on Monday morning, CBS has alone transformed the stereotypical advertisement wonderland into a pedestal of moral debate with a single ad.

"Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life" is the name; pro-life is the game, or rather the position in this 30 second advertisement by Focus on the Family, a well-known Christian organization. Not only did this ad spark controversy, but it also led many in the nation to wonder why certain ads make the cut and others do not.

While Focus on the Family has not released many details about the video, including any footage, the ad will feature former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, and his mother, Pam. In 1987, Tebow's mother became pregnant, and when she got sick during a trip to the Philippines, she declined her option to abort her pregnancy, ignoring doctor recommendations.

The story is of the inspiring sort, as Tebow grew up, ended high school with various NCAA, Southeastern conference, and school records, and eventually won the 2007 Heisman Trophy. It's a story that many pro-life activists strive to have, because it gives a good answer to the question, "What if Tim Tebow had never been born?"

Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family, told New York Times reporter Connor Ennis, this commercial is coming at a time when "families need to be inspired."

"Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for families to thrive," Daly continued. "Focus on the Family is about strengthening families by empowering them with the tools they need to live lives rooted in morals and values."

Ads of this size ranged in price from $2.5-$2.8 million. According to Daly, the group used donations from "generous friends" and no money was taken from the general fund of the organization.

CBS approved the ad, received the payment, and all was fine until another organization came along wanting to promote their cause.

Ever hear of Mancrunch.com? Not many in this world have until this week.

ManCrunch is a dating site targeting gay men. The group is relatively new and looking to increase their numbers. So, naturally, they want a spot in Super Bowl advertising.

The ad is this: two men watching the Super Bowl. Their hands meet at the potato chip bowl, which instigates a glance. Then, that sparks a male-on-male make-out session while a friend overlooks, puzzled.

The ad was rejected by CBS, sparking more controversy than chemistry, and leaving many wondering why one side of the political spectrum was given air time and the other not.

According to CBS, the ad was rejected due to financial concerns. But, with every reason, comes a plethora of "between the lines" assumptions by viewers. Elissa Butcher, a spokeswoman for the site, told CNN "It's straight up discrimination."

CBS declined to comment on the accusation, which raised eyebrows all the more.

In the letter of decline given to Butcher, CBS stated that the ad did not fall "within the network's broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday" and "has had difficulty verifying ManCrunch's credit account," CNN's Aaron Smith reported.

ManCrunch states that they offered to pay cash, but the network declined.

No one can be sure exactly why one controversial ad was allowed and another was not, but there has been speculation.

First off, CBS is concerned about the ratings of the Super Bowl. Heads of the company agree that people tune in to have an up-beat, fun time filled with laughs. If standards are changed so that every organization can get a "Tebow ad" space, no one will be interested in the commercials anymore because the content will be too depressing.

Another speculation is that the target audience, primarily adult males, is interested in three things: beer, babes, and cars. Therefore, it has been concluded that most straight men are homophobic, or afraid of gay men. If there is an ad about a gay dating site, the target audience is going to flip the channel.

While we may never know exactly why CBS made the decisions they did in choosing ads for the big game, it is no doubt going to be a night filled of family, friends, and surefire entertainment.



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Historical Super Bowl Rejects:

1.GoDaddy.com (Woman's top falling off)
2.Mickey Rooney for Airborne (Male Nudity)
3.Snickers (Male-Male kissing)
4.PETA (Women having too intimate moments with vegetables)
5.GoDaddy.com (Female Nudity)
6.Budweiser ("Cutting the Cheese")
7.Bud Light (Animal Violence)
8.Ashley Madison (Female Nudity)
9.ApologyBot 3000 (Violence)

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