His Brand

Perhaps you have seen the recent campaign called “He Gets Us,” sponsored by a certain religious foundation. The ads have sparked widespread attention through billboards, commercials, and YouTube videos. Despite its aim to raise Gospel awareness, the campaign has faced considerable pushback from critics who question the non-profit’s lack of transparency. Some question the appropriateness of using advertisements to spread the faith and whether genuine spiritual growth can be achieved through large-scale advertising.

A similar effort was launched back in the late 1990s. Many will remember the “God Speaks from Above” initiative — a national public service campaign in which messages from “God” were displayed on billboards and bus shelters in various cities. The series was sponsored by an anonymous donor who contributed a substantial amount of his own funds. In the donor’s words, “I wanted to remind people of God, especially people who used to go to Church and for some reason don’t go anymore, which is a good-sized group.”

Among the billboard and…