My Superbowl Expectations
On Sunday night, I like many Americans, tuned in to the 2010 Superbowl. With anticipation I watched the commercial spots to see how offensive they would be this year. I wasn’t let down, I was pretty offended after the first 90 second, back to back underwear commercials.
I watched with special interest for the controversial Tim Tebow Focus on the Family ad spot.
See, I went into the evening knowing that most of the ads would be sleazy GoDaddy-ish marketing ploys. I knew that most would portray men as morons (which they did) and women as somewhat more intellectual, but still ever-present sources of sin.
The commercials were designed to be just a tad controversial, because as any good marketer will tell you – controversy and offense will typically yield the highest emotional response. Emotional responses drive memory recall. Offensiveness yields conversations that outlast the 30 second ad spot.
Tim Tebow – Ad Spot
Iniquitous or Powerful?
Admittedly upon watching the Tim Tebow spot, we had to rewind it twice and play it again. We had a few couples from church there as well and most said “Is that what 2.5 million will get you? I hope that’s the start to a series… What was the message?”
I had to think it though, but I though it was very clever – from a marketing standpoint.
I think too many Christians wanted a “Yeah! In your face!” kind of moment and didn’t get one. What we got was far more effective. The point of the commercial was seemingly not the 30 second spot but the larger message. A message that was delivered weeks before the ad and will be discussed afterwards.
Focus on the Family used this as an opportunity to say “Let’s celebrate Life” and “I can’t imagine not having the happiness that I enjoy because of my child.” Those are powerful messages and are often lost by the sign carrying, name calling, seemingly angry Christians that are normally portrayed by the general media. I think there is a place for showing the world and legislators that there is a strong stance against infant-murder. But, for those who are not in the heat of battle – for those who are on the fence about this issue – they would most likely not be offended about this commercial.
Trying to reach someone’s heart is most often not done through offense.
I think anyone who was not on the extreme of this issue one way or the other would say “What was the Pro-Choice people so afraid of? Is this it?” It shows a special type of shallowness and fear of the truth to have such an exaggerated response to such a pure message. I think that’s a brilliant way to get to get the real message across that life is precious.
The Desire to Offend
Christians are far too eager to offend non-believers. It feeds our self righteousness, it gets a response, it makes us feel accomplished. However, we fail to remember how we feel when the ACLU takes away our rights or attacks our way of believing. Has anyone ever been converted away from God because non-Christian organizations offended us or attacked us? No.
Why then do we feel the need to attack other people in the interest of changing their hearts? Conversion are done by God and we are vessels. Let’s not strive together to work against Christ in this process. I think the simple message of “Life is Precious” is exactly what would have appeared in red letters on a Superbowl Sunday.
