[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/05/tebow.gi.art.jpg caption="Quarterback Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana."]
By Carol Costello and Ronni Berke
The most anticipated Super Bowl commercial this weekend won't be selling Doritos or Pepsi, electronics or automobiles. It will simply be, according to a spokesman for its sponsor, "celebrating life."
Even some abortion rights activists are conceding the Focus on the Family ad, featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his family, is a savvy piece of marketing from the advocacy group, a longtime abortion opponent.
Tebow is famous, not just for his Heisman Trophy, but because his mother, Pam, decided to defy a doctor's recommendation that she undergo an abortion after falling ill while pregnant with him.
Tim Tebow, a devout Christian, calls his mother "a very courageous woman, and wouldn't say no in a lot of circumstances. So that's the reason I'm here and I'm very thankful for that."
To those who criticize his decision to appear in the ad: "I do stand up for what I believe. And at least you can respect that."
Focus on the Family will not release the commercial – or even a transcript of it – before Sunday's game. However, the group says that the 30 second commercial is not "anti-anything," according to spokesman Gary Scheeberger. "It's an ad that's very pro-family and it's really about celebrating family and celebrating life."
Although the ad has inflamed some women's groups, it's a far different message than in years past, back when the politically powerful Reverend James Dobson was its leader.
On his radio program in 2008, Dobson said, "It just grieves me greatly how the blood of maybe 46-48 million babies who have been aborted cries out to God from the ground."
For Kate Michelman, former president of the abortion rights group NARAL, Focus on the Family's strategy has been effective.
"Focus on the Family wants to make all abortions illegal under all circumstances, at any time during pregnancy – but they've learned that saying that is not acceptable to the American public," she says. "They have learned their lesson that they have to appeal to that more mainstream group of Americans and they have a warm and fuzzy ad."
She said abortion rights supporters should take note. “I think we could make broader points. I think in reaching a greater number of Americans, by saying good for her, Pam Tebow. That's exactly what were fighting for – for everyone woman to make the decision for herself.”
Stay tuned.