During Super Bowl LIX, the faith-based campaign “He Gets Us” made an appearance with a compelling tale of strong images set to answer the question, “What is Greatness?”
The commercial’s third consecutive appearance during the advertising blitz is consistent in appearance and criticism. Many people who claim to be Christ followers, and many others who do not, have many questions.
- Where does this funding come from?
- Who is behind He Gets Us?
- What do they hope to achieve by “preaching” to America?
However, the most popular question is voiced everywhere, searching for the same answer.
“Why would a nonprofit organization spend millions of dollars on thirty seconds when that could go to more altruistic causes, such as feeding the hungry, healing the sick, or clothing the homeless?”
At $8 million for 30 seconds of airtime, people need to be sure, mostly because viewers are certain how they feel once the commercial airs. For He Gets Us, many viewers were offended and let their feelings known across many social media platforms.
The Christian outlet Crosswalk.com spoke to ComeNear.org CEO Ken Caldwell about popular opinion regarding the ads. Come Near is the evangelical start-up that acquired He Gets Us last year.
Crosswalk asked Ken Caldwell how he responds to criticisms that He Gets Us leaves out key theological concepts like sin, salvation, the cross, and Jesus’ divinity. Caldwell explained that the campaign is designed to reach specific audiences and open the door for people to explore or reconsider Jesus’ teachings. He noted that it intentionally creates space for people to engage with Jesus’ story without immediately confronting potentially divisive theological ideas. Ultimately, he described He Gets Us as an invitation for individuals to draw near and consider Jesus in a new way.
What the ads “leave out” could be the deeper issues of the Bible, ones more polarizing, ones in need of much more time to explain God’s Hand than 30 seconds provides.
In the news release from He Gets Us prior to the ad’s broadcast, Caldwell said: “In a society struggling with division, loneliness, and a crisis of meaning, Jesus’ life and teachings offer a countercultural path toward healing. We’ve been challenged and inspired by how Jesus said greatness is defined not by our achievements, wealth, or power, but by how we love and serve others.”
On USA Today’s Ad Meter, considered the golden standard among marketers looking for eyeballs and traffic during the big game, the He Gets Us ad ranked No. 26 of 57. All Super Bowl ads are rated by Nielsen-qualified homeowners on a scale from 1 to 5 in terms of effectiveness, emotion, and results of the ad, making you more interested in the brand, product, or service.
In the literal Spirit of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), these commercials are meant to engage believers and non-believers to understand the heart of a Savior. It’s about generating awareness and creating engagement. According to the “He Gets Us” website, 10.8 billion views and 49 million original visitors have clicked on ads, links, and the site.
“Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
When it comes to multimedia, evangelism begins with observation. Those kinds of results for the glory of God may also be considered “greatness.”