Jesus as an Advertiser
Advertising is a tactic that companies utilize in order to sell more of their product and increase profit. This technique has been around since the nineteenth century when goods were beginning to be produced in mass quantities. As a result, these companies needed a mechanism of desire to sell these large amounts of product (Clark 2007, 7). This trend has continued since then and now encompasses almost every aspect of American life. America is no doubt a consumerist nation and companies will use any tool at their disposal in order to get their products sold, even if it is controversial to some.
The rise in consumerism and, as a result, advertising, began during the nineteenth century when people desired stability and a society without turmoil. Companies began to focus their advertising efforts towards appealing to this need; therefore advertisements created the hope of a utopian society, leaving behind social realities (Clark 2007, 8). These ideas have continued through time and have created an age of consumerism in America. Today, individuals will buy an item based on what they believe they will become with that item as a result of the product’s advertisements (Stevenson 2007, 3). Companies identify what is already important to their audience and then let them make the connection between the product being sold and who the audience believes they will be after the purchase (Clark 2007, 11). Religion has become a large consumer industry as a result for products to create a more desirable world for its customer. Vincent Miller describes the “commodification of religion” and the need for Americans to have more marketable “stuff” (Vincent Miller 2004). One way that companies can appeal to their customers through advertisements is through “Sacrementality”, which is described as “seeing God in all things” (Vincent Miller 2004, 189). This can be an efficient tactic for selling goods due to consumers’ longing to fulfill their image of who they aspire to become, as following God and Jesus seems to make a person ‘better’.
The first man known to use Jesus as an advertising method was Bruce Barton, a journalist and WWI advertiser. Barton found Jesus a useful image for advertising based on his “ability to pick up men and build an organization” (Ribuffo 1981, 217). One of Barton’s most famous slogans, “A man is down, but he is never out” was plastered on posters promoting the Salvation Army during the war and represents Jesus’ unfailing love for all men (Ribuffo 1981, 214). Barton brought about the idea of using Jesus to sell, an idea that has continued since his time. In fact, one of the biggest times of the year that advertisements feature Jesus is during the Christmas "season" where Jesus is being thought of in all aspects of life (James 2001, 10 and Moore 1994, 205).
Many companies have taken the worldwide known image of Jesus and plastered it on a billboard or commercial for their product. By using Jesus, companies believe they will sell more of their product because consumers will recognize the image and believe that the product will better their lives in some way. Tyler Stevenson, in his book, Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age, describes the connection between Jesus and consumers. He states that the retail industry has created “Christ Honoring Resources”, meaning people can “honor” Christ simply by purchasing items stamped with his significance (Stevenson 2007, 3). Stevenson goes on to say that these purchases do not make someone a true Christian; rather they lessen the value that Christianity is meant to uphold (Stevenson 2007, 35).
Using celebrities to sell products is a common tactic in advertising. In a study on the effect of using celebrity endorsers, it was shown that celebrity endorsements did in fact increase company profits (Agrawal and Kamakura 1995). These endorsement deals are however expensive for the companies due to celebrity pay requirements. One “celebrity” that does not require payment however is Jesus. Because Jesus is so well known to virtually everyone, using him to endorse a product will create a lasting impression and promote product recognition to consumers, which will in turn increase profit margin without costing a fortune initially.
Using Jesus to advertise can have negative effects as well and result in a possible loss of money. It has been determined that 20% of advertisements not only fail, but also essentially hurt the company they are trying to promote (Chris Moerdyk 2012). Many individuals could find ads featuring Jesus in someway to be offensive and wil not purchase the product, resulting in a loss of money for the company. Some religious groups find offence in the advertising of controversial products such as alcohol and cigarettes, imagine how these groups would react when Jesus endorses these same products (Fam, Kim-Shyan 2004). Religious groups are not the only ones that find offence in such advertising techniques, many companies have received backlash for their risky advertisements featuring Jesus. In an article titled, “What would Jesus ban?”, Nelson Jones explains a few recent reactions to advertisements that utilize Jesus. Consumers had complained that the ads “were disrespectful” and “likely to cause offence”, although Jones believes there is no serious threat to the beliefs of Christianity, and the ads were just “poking fun” (Nelson Jones 2011). As a result of these complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have placed restrictions on advertisements displaying religious content. Companies, therefore have to take into consideration these restrictions and apply them to their advertising tactics (Nelson Jones 2011).
Tim Nudd describes some of the most offensive advertisements that use Jesus as a selling mechanism. The companies that created these ads have received many complaints for their use of Jesus and many of the ads have been banned as a result. Some of the “uncool” ads Nudd describes are: an internet ministry against pornography promoting their group with an ad stating, “Jesus loves pornstars”, another outlandish ad was one found at a grocery store promoting their Easter sales with the slogan, “Jesus died for OUR PRICES” (Tim Nudd 2010). These are just a few among the many ads that feature Jesus, the majority of which have been criticized for their content.
As a result of being a consumerist society, it is nearly impossible to keep religion out of the marketing industry. In order to create a product of desire, companies will use any tool at their disposal, including sacramental images and ideas. Although using an iconic image such as Jesus to sell products may promote desire and product recognition, the criticism received as a result may outweigh the benefits. Many advertisements featuring Jesus to sell have caused enough offence that they were ultimately banned, costing the company time and money.
The rise in consumerism and, as a result, advertising, began during the nineteenth century when people desired stability and a society without turmoil. Companies began to focus their advertising efforts towards appealing to this need; therefore advertisements created the hope of a utopian society, leaving behind social realities (Clark 2007, 8). These ideas have continued through time and have created an age of consumerism in America. Today, individuals will buy an item based on what they believe they will become with that item as a result of the product’s advertisements (Stevenson 2007, 3). Companies identify what is already important to their audience and then let them make the connection between the product being sold and who the audience believes they will be after the purchase (Clark 2007, 11). Religion has become a large consumer industry as a result for products to create a more desirable world for its customer. Vincent Miller describes the “commodification of religion” and the need for Americans to have more marketable “stuff” (Vincent Miller 2004). One way that companies can appeal to their customers through advertisements is through “Sacrementality”, which is described as “seeing God in all things” (Vincent Miller 2004, 189). This can be an efficient tactic for selling goods due to consumers’ longing to fulfill their image of who they aspire to become, as following God and Jesus seems to make a person ‘better’.
The first man known to use Jesus as an advertising method was Bruce Barton, a journalist and WWI advertiser. Barton found Jesus a useful image for advertising based on his “ability to pick up men and build an organization” (Ribuffo 1981, 217). One of Barton’s most famous slogans, “A man is down, but he is never out” was plastered on posters promoting the Salvation Army during the war and represents Jesus’ unfailing love for all men (Ribuffo 1981, 214). Barton brought about the idea of using Jesus to sell, an idea that has continued since his time. In fact, one of the biggest times of the year that advertisements feature Jesus is during the Christmas "season" where Jesus is being thought of in all aspects of life (James 2001, 10 and Moore 1994, 205).
Many companies have taken the worldwide known image of Jesus and plastered it on a billboard or commercial for their product. By using Jesus, companies believe they will sell more of their product because consumers will recognize the image and believe that the product will better their lives in some way. Tyler Stevenson, in his book, Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age, describes the connection between Jesus and consumers. He states that the retail industry has created “Christ Honoring Resources”, meaning people can “honor” Christ simply by purchasing items stamped with his significance (Stevenson 2007, 3). Stevenson goes on to say that these purchases do not make someone a true Christian; rather they lessen the value that Christianity is meant to uphold (Stevenson 2007, 35).
Using celebrities to sell products is a common tactic in advertising. In a study on the effect of using celebrity endorsers, it was shown that celebrity endorsements did in fact increase company profits (Agrawal and Kamakura 1995). These endorsement deals are however expensive for the companies due to celebrity pay requirements. One “celebrity” that does not require payment however is Jesus. Because Jesus is so well known to virtually everyone, using him to endorse a product will create a lasting impression and promote product recognition to consumers, which will in turn increase profit margin without costing a fortune initially.
Using Jesus to advertise can have negative effects as well and result in a possible loss of money. It has been determined that 20% of advertisements not only fail, but also essentially hurt the company they are trying to promote (Chris Moerdyk 2012). Many individuals could find ads featuring Jesus in someway to be offensive and wil not purchase the product, resulting in a loss of money for the company. Some religious groups find offence in the advertising of controversial products such as alcohol and cigarettes, imagine how these groups would react when Jesus endorses these same products (Fam, Kim-Shyan 2004). Religious groups are not the only ones that find offence in such advertising techniques, many companies have received backlash for their risky advertisements featuring Jesus. In an article titled, “What would Jesus ban?”, Nelson Jones explains a few recent reactions to advertisements that utilize Jesus. Consumers had complained that the ads “were disrespectful” and “likely to cause offence”, although Jones believes there is no serious threat to the beliefs of Christianity, and the ads were just “poking fun” (Nelson Jones 2011). As a result of these complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have placed restrictions on advertisements displaying religious content. Companies, therefore have to take into consideration these restrictions and apply them to their advertising tactics (Nelson Jones 2011).
Tim Nudd describes some of the most offensive advertisements that use Jesus as a selling mechanism. The companies that created these ads have received many complaints for their use of Jesus and many of the ads have been banned as a result. Some of the “uncool” ads Nudd describes are: an internet ministry against pornography promoting their group with an ad stating, “Jesus loves pornstars”, another outlandish ad was one found at a grocery store promoting their Easter sales with the slogan, “Jesus died for OUR PRICES” (Tim Nudd 2010). These are just a few among the many ads that feature Jesus, the majority of which have been criticized for their content.
As a result of being a consumerist society, it is nearly impossible to keep religion out of the marketing industry. In order to create a product of desire, companies will use any tool at their disposal, including sacramental images and ideas. Although using an iconic image such as Jesus to sell products may promote desire and product recognition, the criticism received as a result may outweigh the benefits. Many advertisements featuring Jesus to sell have caused enough offence that they were ultimately banned, costing the company time and money.
Annotated Bibliography
Agrawal, Jagdish and Kamakura, Wagner. “The Economic Worth of Celebrity Endorsers: An Event Study Analysis.” Journal of Marketing 59 (1995): 56-62 http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~kamakura/My%20Reprints/the%20economic%20worth%20of%20celebrity%20endorsements.pdf (Accessed April 25, 2012)
This article explains a survey study in which the authors, Jagdish Agrawal and Wagner Kamakura, seek to discover the effects of utilizing celebrity endorsers to advertise. This study is geared towards the company rather than the consumer and measures the profit gained from utilizing celebrities. Celebrities create a more memorable product and generate a more positive attitude toward the brand, which in turn will increase company profit. Although this article does not touch on the topic of Jesus in advertisements specifically, it provides some background knowledge about using celebrity endorsers to sell. Jesus is, after all, somewhat of a celebrity as he is known to everyone so using him in an ad could increase sales if in fact celebrity endorsements do create higher economic gains for a company. This article concludes that the use of a celebrity endorser increases stock investment and economic gains for a company.
Clark, Lynn. Religion, Media, and the Marketplace. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2007
This book is a compilation of many different articles, all of which talk about religion and the media in some way. In the introduction, Lynn Clark preludes into the other articles by presenting the audience with a short background about branding and advertising. Clark points out that companies utilize branding in order to create a sense of want or need for their products. Companies identify what is already important to their audience and then let them make the connection between the product being sold and who the audience believes they will be after the purchase (11). This introduction also summarizes how advertising started in the nineteenth century and how companies of mass production needed a mechanism of desire in order to sell the massive amount of product that was being created (7).
Fam, Kim-Shyan, David S. Waller, Zafer B. Erdogen. “The Influence of Religion on Attitudes Towards the Advertising of Controversial Products.” European Journal of Marketing 38 (2004):
The authors of this article explain the effects that religious affiliation has on what products individuals will purchase. Because religious beliefs mold social behaviors, it is no surprise that these beliefs would influence consumer’s product choice. This article focuses not only on the effects of Christianity but also: Buddhism, Islam, and atheism. The authors of this article particularly focus on the reactions to advertisements for controversial products, such as cigarettes, alcohol, and contraceptives; however, there is useful information in the reactions of each religious group that marketers can utilize to better their advertising techniques and increase profits. Their findings did not provide much insight into the field, but something interesting to note would be the discovery that the “stronger” believers were the ones most offended by the advertising while the lesser believers were not as offended. This finding can help marketers determine how strongly their advertisement featuring Jesus will offend religious groups.
James, Tracy and Richard Horsley. Christmas Unwrapped: consumerism, Christ, and culture. Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 2001
Christmas is perhaps the most popular holiday in American culture. The holiday is supposed to represent the religious holiday of Jesus’ birth. Today, however Christmas is a consumerist holiday, with companies relying on big purchases from every which way. Advertising plays a huge role during this holiday in order to bring in more money to the company. “Once the principle mode of expression of family affection and togetherness became gift giving…the elaborate holiday festival effectively combined the expression of family with profitable functioning of the economy” (169). Horsley states that Christmas is the most important holiday to the American economy and even goes to the extreme in saying that our economy would collapse without this season. With such a large dependence on this holiday and the weeks preceding it, advertising plays a huge role in creating desirable goods and services that bring in customers to spend their money.
Jones, Nelson. “What Would Jesus Ban?” NewStatesman Magazine, September 7, 2011
In this article, Nelson Jones describes a few recent advertisements that utilized the image of Jesus in order to sell their products. He explains the backlash that these companies received from consumers stating that the ads “were disrespectful”, and “likely to cause offence”. Jones states that although these ads may be somewhat insensitive, they do not pose any serious threat to the beliefs of Christianity. This article explains some restrictions that the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have placed on advertisements displaying religious content, as a result of the numerous complaints from individuals that failed to find the humor within the ads. Jones concludes by saying that the ASA seems to now be overprotective of believer’s sensitivities. Companies, therefore have to take into consideration these restrictions and apply them to their advertising tactics.
Miller, Vincent. Consuming Religion; Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd., 2004
In his book, Vincent Miller describes the materialistic culture that we all live in today and how religion is being brought into that culture more and more. He describes the commodification of religion due to the unwavering need for Americans to have marketable “stuff”. Miller describes in detail the desire of consumers and the means by which companies appeal to those desires for the purpose of selling anything and everything. One way that companies can appeal to consumers through their advertisements is by utilizing “Sacrementality”, which is described as seeing “God in all things” (189). This can be an efficient tactic for selling goods due to consumers’ longing to fulfill their image of who they aspire to become. Miller describes his idea of “sacramental operation” described as “the connection that is forged between the mundane material of sacramental sign and the theological realities it signifies” (190). Simply put, Miller describes the appeal of religious symbols to consumers based on the significance of these symbols in the lives of Americans today.
Moerdyk, Chris. “Advertising Rule #1: Jesus Saves Not Sells.” News24, March 19, 2012
Chris Moerdyk begins his article by stating that through research, it has been declared that 20% of advertisements, not only fail, but also essentially hurts the company that it is initially trying to promote. Moerdyk uses the recent example of Red Bull advertisements to explain how backlash from religious affiliated advertisements can cause damage to the company utilizing them. The advertisement from Red Bull was banned first in South Africa and then in more countries including the United States. Moerdyk explains that although not every one practicies Christianity, when one religion is hurt, all religions band together and are all hurt in the end. This is the reason why this ad was so criticized around the world. In the example of the Red Bull ad, the Muslim community was the major contributor against what they interpreted as blasphemy within this ad. This article explains that using Jesus in an ad may not be beneficial and will most likely accumulate hostility.
Moore, Laurence. "Religious advertising and progressive protestant approaches to mass media". In Selling God: American religion in the marketplace of culture, 204-237 New York: Oxford University Press, 1994
In his book, Laurence Moore begins by talking about Christmas and how it has been extremely commercialized. He states that the once Christian holiday has now become a season rather than a simple holiday. Moore states that rather than being celebrated for its true meaning of Christ's birth, it is now when merchants did their best business during the year. Advertisements featuring Jesus increase during Christmas as a result of the religious background of Christ's birth. Moore then goes on to talk about how churches began to advertise their services in order to gain more followers, this fad was started by Protestants in order to stay current with culture. Religion and churches began adapting to people's current lives rather than changing the way people lived. He explains the idea of televangelism, or advertising for christianity, in which everything is for sale, including dog foods, canned soups, and even condoms.
Nudd, Tim. “Ten Uncool Ads and Products Featuring Jesus.” Adweek, December 15, 2010
This article explains some of the “uncool” advertisements of 2010 that featured Jesus in some way. Some of these include: a “Jesus loves porn stars” ad trying to promote an online anti-pornography church group, and “Jesus jeans” featuring women wearing tight, provocative jeans. All of the ads featured in this article used Jesus to try and sell their product, most of them failing miserably. Tim Nudd points out that the number one most offensive advertisement featuring the Savior is one from a company named Betta Electrical; this commercial opens up with the famous nativity scene as the three wise men are presenting baby Jesus with their gifts. Jesus, however seems to be unsatisfied with these gifts and throws them away, wanting something ‘better’. The scene fades as the name of Betta Electrical appears and the message, “Give a better gift”. Nudd labels this ad as the most offensive because it is “portraying Christ as a materialistic little brat from the moment he was born” (Nudd).
Ribuffo, Leo P. “Jesus Christ as Business Statesman : Bruce Barton and the Selling of Corporate Capitalism.” American Quarterly 33 (1981): 206-231.
In this article, Ribuffo describes man named Bruce Barton, who was reported to have first use the iconic image of Jesus in advertisements. Barton was an advertiser for ad posters during the first World War. During the hardships of this time, Barton utilized the slogan, “A man is down, but he is never out” which was plastered on posters promoting the Salvation Army. This slogan is of course a recreation of the message from the Bible that Jesus loves all men no matter what. This appeals to consumers, especially during this time of turbulence. Ribuffo explains Barton’s background and his insurgence into the field of advertising. Barton, as explained by Ribuffo, was the catalyst for utilizing religion and Jesus to sell goods or even businesses themselves. Without Barton, advertising would not be what it is today and perhaps Jesus would be free from it entirely.
Stevenson, Tyler. Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age. New York: Church Publishing Inc., 2007
In this book, Tyler Stevenson discusses the age of consumerism that we, as Americans are living in today. He argues the idea that “we are what we buy” (pg. 3), meaning the stuff we buy says a lot about who we believe ourselves to be. Stevenson then discusses the new phenomenon that is sweeping the Nation recently, that of “Brand Jesus”. He says that “Christian” consumers are buying more religious affiliated products, not necessarily because they are die-hard Christians, but rather to boast their identity as “honoring Christ”. He argues that these types of purchases water down Christianity and do not exhibit the true gratitude that Christianity represents. “There is nothing to be grateful for in consumerism and no one to be grateful to” (35), this statement sums up the idea that Stevenson is trying to get across: that purchasing products stamped with religious significance does not make you a true Christian, but rather lessens the value that Christianity is meant to uphold.
Jesus walks on water with Red Bull: (sorry it's not in English, Red Bull blocked all the English ones, below is the dialogue in English)
"Well guys, that is it! Nothing is going to happen today! I am getting out of here!"
He leaves the boat and walks on the water.
"Oh Jesus, how can you do this?" questions Peter, one of the disciples."Do what?" asks Jesus.
"You are walking on water," replies Peter.
"Be cool Peter, he only took one Red Bull. Red Bull gives you wings!" another disciple interjects.
"No! That is not it!" replies Jesus.
"Could this be another miracle then?" they ask.
"There is no miracle here! You just have to be smart and find the rocks to step on," Jesus answers