The ‘He Gets Us’ campaign, which promotes Jesus, is set to drop $20 million on advertisements during the Super Bowl this year as part of a three year $1 billion campaign. According to Christianity Today, the ‘He Gets Us’ movement began last year, and has since grown to make over 6 billion impressions through social media. The campaign is meant to bring Jesus into people’s lives by helping them make a connection to Him, though, according to the Daily Mail, some view the advertisements with disdain citing that Jesus would want the money to go directly to the needs of the community instead.
Some Christian leaders see the campaign as an effective measure to bring Jesus to more people, and more people to Jesus. Pastor, author, and podcaster Carey Nieuwhof said “it’s what the church needs,” noting that making a connection with community members in a way that is culturally relevant to them may make them pay attention to or learn about Jesus.
Through video ads, which Pastor Bill White of Christ Journey Church Miami described as “gritty and raw,” the movement seems to be soaring in popularity. While White’s first impression of the ads was that they were not quite his style, he later shared that he understands why the ads are made in such a way.
“The people we reach are living in a gritty, raw world, and He Gets Us is built to meet them where they are,” White explained.
According to Christianity Today, “video ads are just one way He Gets Us is accomplishing its goal. Take the tailgate tour, for example. This year, He Gets Us staff interacted with football fans at some of the country’s most iconic game days, hosting photo booths, giveaways, and, most notably, challenges that inspire small acts of confounding love, like taking a photo with a fan from the opposing team. These efforts underscore an important truth: Jesus’ life of hospitality, connection, and friendship should be emulated.”
Once an impression is made, visitors are directed to articles like “Jesus was fed up with politics, too,” and “Jesus invited everyone to sit at his table.” The website also directs visitors to the YouVersion app which has Bible reading plans, goal setting, and can connect people to local churches.
Despite some backlash that spending money on advertisements does not respond to the needs of the community, the campaign believes they are making an impact on the community. Jason Vanderground, a spokesman for ‘He Gets Us’ told the Daily Mail, “Our research shows 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.” adding that “we believe that investing in efforts to ensure more people consider his life and movement as inspiration for their own, will in turn, help improve the lives of those listening.”