"He Gets Us" Campaign Brings Faith to the Forefront of super bowl commercials 2023

The 2023 Super Bowl is set to have a touch of faith as a group of Christian boosters brings religion to the forefront with their new ad campaign, "He Gets Us". The two new ads, set to air during each half of the game, aim to counter the notion that religion divides people and reach over 100 million viewers with a message of love from Jesus.

This move is a rare one, as faith-based advertisements during prime-time events like the Super Bowl are a rarity due to their touchy nature and high cost. However, the backers of the "He Gets Us" campaign see this as a unique opportunity to reach a large and diverse audience who may be spiritually open but skeptical.

Although Christianity still dominates in the US with 63% of adults identifying as believers, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey, this figure has decreased from 78% in 2007. On the other hand, the number of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated has increased from 16% to 29% in the same time period.

The NFL has always had a religious undercurrent, with expressions of faith seen regularly in locker-room prayers and player celebrations. This may help explain why faith-related ads during the Super Bowl are so few, as football players themselves serve as advertisements for Jesus.

Past Super Bowl ads with religious themes have often sparked controversy, such as the 2010 ad by Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian ministry, which received pushback from abortion-rights advocates. However, the ministry considers the ad a success, as it reached a large audience with its message.

The "He Gets Us" campaign, funded by Hobby Lobby CEO David Green and other anonymous donors, directs viewers to a website where they can learn more about Jesus and connect with like-minded individuals. The ads aim to show how children demonstrate Jesus' love and deal with the topic of anger and how Jesus modeled a different way.

Super Bowl ads always draw a large amount of attention and any company or organization looking to spend $6.5 million for 30 seconds of air time must consider the pros and cons. The "He Gets Us" campaign is set to bring a powerful message of faith to the forefront of this year's Super Bowl commercials.