For the second one 12 months in a row, a religious Super Bowl ad campaign promised audience that Jesus “gets us.”
Two advertisements proven Sunday evening focused Jesus’ message to like your neighbors — even throughout ideological divides. In one, folks of various races, categories and gender expressions have their ft washed, together with a lady outdoor a circle of relatives making plans health center.
“Our goal is to really show that Jesus loved and cared for anyone and everyone,” He Gets Us marketing campaign spokesperson Greg Miller informed The Associated Press on Monday. He mentioned the marketing campaign’s web site won 715,000 perspectives within the earlier 24 hours.
Critics have famous the marketing campaign’s welcoming and modern messages appear at odds with a few of its Christian funders, who’ve additionally supported anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-abortion reasons.
Last 12 months’s ads have been overseen via the Servant Foundation, additionally a donor to Alliance Defending Freedom, a outstanding conservative felony group that helped overturn Roe v. Wade — the ruling organising a national proper to abortion — and has represented shoppers difficult same-sex marriage and transgender rights.
The circle of relatives at the back of Hobby Lobby additionally contributed to “He Gets Us.” They in the past received a Supreme Court case difficult necessities to hide some delivery keep an eye on for workers on anti-abortion grounds.
The “He Gets Us” marketing campaign is now underneath a brand new charitable group, Come Near, that means the Servant Foundation is now not overseeing it. The nonprofit says it’s “committed to sharing the life and love of Jesus in thought-provoking new ways.”
On its web site, the marketing campaign notes that “probably the most common questions” won are about its stance at the LGBTQ+ neighborhood. “So let us be clear in our opinion. Jesus loves gay people and Jesus loves trans people … No matter who you are, YOU are invited to explore the story of Jesus and consider what it means for your life.”
The “He Gets Us” marketing campaign says it plans to market it all over different main cultural moments over the following 12 months, together with the Paris Olympics, the NFL draft, and the Republican and Democratic conventions.
Other faith-based ads at this 12 months’s Super Bowl incorporated a place from Scientologists, inviting audience to “see for yourself who we are.” An advert for the Catholic prayer app Hallow, featuring actor Mark Wahlberg, additionally broadcast in choose markets all over the sport.
Within the NFL, Christianity has lengthy permeated the tradition, and common lovers are accustomed to expressions of religion, from locker-room prayers to Hail Mary passes to avid gamers pointing skyward after touchdowns.
“One of the main purposes for ‘He Gets Us’ is to try and invite anyone, no matter what they believe, to explore the story of Jesus,” Miller mentioned. “The audience of the Super Bowl allows us to do that with the greatest potential reach.”
___
AP Religion News Editor Holly Meyer contributed to this record.
___
Associated Press faith protection receives improve in the course of the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with investment from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is just accountable for this content material.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This subject matter might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.