Know What You're Talking About

While the idea of manufacturing an issue can be rather appealing, the one caveat to it is you had better know what you are talking about. That point was amazingly illustrated during this year's Super Bowl.

It came out that the faith-based Non Profit Organization "Focus On The Family" had bought an ad during the Super Bowl. The commercial was to feature Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and his mother.

Tebow is a strong Christian, his mother considered an abortion but didn't have one. Focus on the Family is against abortion.

Those facts are all it took for pro-choice advocates to protest the ad placement. News stations had segments all attacking CBS for allowing the ad.
Fox News addressed it HERE
MSNBC addressed it HERE

The New York Times to the San Francisco Chronicle, and even the USA Today had opinions on the matter... Long before anyone had ever seen the ad.

The issue of whether or not CBS should air the commercial gained so much air time before the super bowl that Focus On The Family got well more than their money's worth buying the $2.5 million ad.

They had a FABULOUS publicist who leaked the "concept" that sent the media into a flurry of hype...then they did a "PC" commercial that wouldn't create a stir. The message was already out there before the ad aired. They didn't need to do a controversial ad; they had accomplished their press mission and got more air time than the spot!

Stated public relations specialist Melanie Porpiglia

Then the ad came out. This was it -

Not exactly something to explode over. But the statements had already been made.

And the response? Perhaps the entertainment industry blog TMZ summed it up best -

Tim Tebow's Super Bowl Ad -- That Was It?

Posted Feb 8th 2010 5:00AM by TMZ Staff

After weeks of hype and outrage, the Super Bowl commercial with Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow finally aired Sunday night -- so what was all the fuss about?

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/08/tim-tebow-super-bowl-commercial/#ixzz0ey2Eo2ZM

And now, those pro-choice advocates will have to re-frame their objection to the ad.

Regardless of your position on abortion, Focus on the Family, the National Organization for Women or the Super Bowl, this episode in media history made one thing clear -

Make sure you know what you are saying before you say it.