The ‘He Gets Us’ ad campaign has caused a stir among different groups, individuals, and stakeholders following its airing during the NFL’s most significant event of the year. The largest Christian group’s ad campaign received sponsorship, and social media users have questioned whether the wealthy Christian backers behind the campaign were hypocritical for spending millions on marketing Christianity instead of using the funds for another religious initiative like philanthropy.
Many people believe that the $20 million ad campaign could have been put to better use, such as helping the poor, the underprivileged, or those affected by war and natural disasters. Others felt that the campaign was “all the proof” they needed to justify not donating to religious organizations in the future.
The campaign’s organizers hope to reach more than 100 million viewers at a time when Christianity is declining in the United States. While Christians remain the largest religious majority in the country, with 63 percent of adults identifying as such, about three in ten Americans see themselves as religiously affiliated, according to the Pew Research Center.
The campaign’s donors have remained mostly anonymous, but Christianity Today reported that one of the billionaire co-founders of retail company Hobby Lobby, David Green, was among those who publicly acknowledged funding the campaign.
The Michigan-based creative agency Haven, which created the ads, stated that it went to “great lengths” to avoid politicizing the ad, according to Bill McKendry, the founder and chief creative officer of the agency. The agency believes that the sole purpose of the ad is to show what Jesus modeled, and if people learn from it, society will become a better place.
According to John Vender, the spokesperson of ‘He Gets Us,’ told DailyMail.com that many people’s only exposure to Jesus is through Christians who reflect Him imperfectly and, too often, in ways that create a distorted or incomplete picture of His radical compassion and love for others. Therefore, investing in efforts to ensure that more people consider His life and movement as inspiration for their own will help improve the lives of those listening.
Despite the negative comments from some individuals, others like Lora Hardings, who works at “Open hearts, open minds, open doors,” had positive things to say about the ad. She remarked that “This is a really remarkable ad spend for a religious organization or just a non-profit in general,” adding that it makes sense for ‘He Gets Us’ organizers to want to reach a mass audience that is paying attention because Super Bowl ads have become part of the pageantry of the big game.
The ‘He Gets Us’ ad campaign was broadcasted widely, including billboards in Las Vegas, during playoffs, and Time Square in New York. The organization still hopes to spend a billion dollars in the next three years to redeem Jesus’ brand.
