Let All Super Bowl Ads Advocate

Let All Super Bowl Ads Advocate

David Zirin argues for a Super Bowl chock-full of advocacy ads.

Facebook
Twitter
Email
Flipboard
Pocket

Rachel Maddow take on Tim Tebow’s anti-choice ad that will air during the Super Bowl this Sunday. Maddow airs a response ad made by Planned Parenthood featuring two former professional athletes advocating for women’s right to choose. Nation sports editor David Zirin tells Maddow that the Planned Parenthood ad–which will not air during the Super Bowl–is “too little too late” because Planned Parenthood should have been demanding equal time from CBS.

Zirin argues that all ads are advocacy ads, including commercials promoting a lifestyle of bikinis and beer, and US military ads that have aired during past Super Bowls. “If we’re going to have this kind of advocacy–the pro-bikini or pro-armed forces advocacy–then I think we should throw the doors open,” Zirin says. “And CBS has been profoundly contemptible…this ad is ridiculous, and it should not be on Super Bowl Sunday without some kind of response.”

–Morgan Ashenfelter

Thank you for reading The Nation!

We hope you enjoyed the story you just read. It’s just one of many examples of incisive, deeply-reported journalism we publish—journalism that shifts the needle on important issues, uncovers malfeasance and corruption, and uplifts voices and perspectives that often go unheard in mainstream media. For nearly 160 years, The Nation has spoken truth to power and shone a light on issues that would otherwise be swept under the rug.

In a critical election year as well as a time of media austerity, independent journalism needs your continued support. The best way to do this is with a recurring donation. This month, we are asking readers like you who value truth and democracy to step up and support The Nation with a monthly contribution. We call these monthly donors Sustainers, a small but mighty group of supporters who ensure our team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers have the resources they need to report on breaking news, investigative feature stories that often take weeks or months to report, and much more.

There’s a lot to talk about in the coming months, from the presidential election and Supreme Court battles to the fight for bodily autonomy. We’ll cover all these issues and more, but this is only made possible with support from sustaining donors. Donate today—any amount you can spare each month is appreciated, even just the price of a cup of coffee.

The Nation does not bow to the interests of a corporate owner or advertisers—we answer only to readers like you who make our work possible. Set up a recurring donation today and ensure we can continue to hold the powerful accountable.

Thank you for your generosity.

Ad Policy
x