A screenshot of one of the 'He Gets Us' campaign advertisements, this one on Reddit.
Patrick Wood / NPR
Welcome to a new NPR series where we spotlight the people and things making headlines — and the stories behind them.
Jesus Christ is now the center of a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign funded by the founder of Hobby Lobby and others, that is apparently just getting started.
Who is he? Well, in Christianity, he's known as the son of God. But in this scenario, "He" is the center of a marketing campaign that has spread far across the U.S., spanning between billboards, banner ads online, and a forthcoming Super Bowl commercial.
What's the big deal? It's part of a well-funded campaign that is just getting started.
What are people saying? Smietana told NPR the campaign comes at a time of decline in organized religion:
"I think spending that much money, again, is a kind of admission on their part that there's a problem. And, you know, there is a problem for organized religion in America. It's declining, congregations are declining. And these ads, too, are a way to chide their fellow Christians to say, 'This is what Jesus is like, and maybe we know it, and maybe we're not acting like Jesus.'"
"But I think it goes back to the problem that American evangelicals in particular face is that their political ambitions and their deeply held religious beliefs and ethical beliefs are in conflict right now. So the things that will help them win politically will alienate people."
And, of course, social media had some thoughts:
So what now?
Learn more:
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.