Sunday, February 20, 2011

Church Advertising: What's the Difference?

What is the difference between these two ADs?






















Both are from churches.
Both confront a topic the church is not comfortable dealing with.
Both want people to attend the events associate with them.
Both are creative.
Both are hard to forget.

However, the second AD requires out of the box thinking.  It does not rely purely on shock value.  In comparison the shock value of the second AD is low.  Is it head-scratching without explanation, yes (a church hosting a bra drive?), but not too shocking. The first is suggestive and the second thought provoking.  The first communicates sex and the second communicates a cause and information.

The first AD is also bate and switch. The person interested in a sex life that does not suck, will go to the advertised website only to find a video filled with discouraging statistics about how society has mishandled sex, not steamy videos of the couple.  The site also reveals the need for another step before you get the better sex life, "Oh yeah, we led you here to mainly tell you about our church."

Mood killer!

Now, I am all for a biblical understanding of sex and how God's version of intimacy is so much more enjoyable, satisfying and "exciting." But the first AD looks more like a Viagra AD, then a church teaching series.  It mimics cultural advertising in the fact that it lacks intelligence and is aimed at a lowest common denominator audience. While the second is honest and authentic.

Then again, maybe I am just be bias.

1 comment:

Craig Dodge said...

You're biased, but understandably so. Also...you're right.