One of the many ideas in this article that struck me as interesting is the fact that Christians were a large part of the twentieth-century consumer culture. I was surprised to learn that Asa G. Candler, the Coca-Cola owner, and John Wanamaker, the founder of the Wanamaker department-store, were such so dedicated having Christian influences in their advertising.
I was even more surprised to realize that people still do this today. The girls in this class might have noticed that the clothing store Forever 21 has John 3:16 written on the bottom of all their shopping bags. The famous fast food restaurant in California, In-and-Out Burger, also puts John 3:16 on the bottom of their Styrofoam cups. Then there are the hundreds of t-shirts that take a well-known advertising logo and turn it into a message of faith. http://www.christiantshirtshop.com/
The question for me, though, is how helpful these advertising methods are. I immediately thought it was neat idea to put scriptures on the bottom of products, but then I researched and saw that these products do get negative feedback. Apparently, people do not like the fact that the companies assume they are Christian or want to be a Christian. One article did not like the choice of scripture since it “not so subtlety says whoever doesn't believe in Jesus is going straight to hell.”
There are people that like the idea of a company being personable and not a cold money-making machine, but others don’t like the idea of going to eat and getting preached at. So, are these marketing techniques helpful or hurtful to religion? Should we even be connecting consumerism to religion? If we follow the examples in the Bible, we can’t let some negative criticism stop us from spreading the Word. However, maybe the more traditional methods of “marketing” Jesus are better than these modern ones that create enemies or even make religion more of a fashion statement than a way of life.
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13955
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5902652?source=rss
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/29/fashion/29dres.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=faith%20shirts&st=cse&scp=5
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I think they are doing a crappy marketing job if I have never heard of this or even seen this. If I were Jesus, I would sue so many companies for using my endorsement. Then using that money, I would sell a brand of wine. The production cost would be so cheap, and everyone will be drinking my message! Then I would buy some fishing boats and pull a Forrest Gump. I will always cast my net on the other side and make loads of money. Captain Dan will be my skipper. In true honesty though, I just can’t imagine placing iconic Christian messages to be an effective way to evangelize. The idea of Christianity isn’t to win but to win over. But it would be funny to see Jesus during the Super Bowl selling a brand of Nike sandals.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have noticed the scripture John 3:16 on the bottom of Forever 21 bags. To be specific, all the bag says is "John 3:16" it does not say the actual scripture. This, to me, is not forceful evangelism or "being preached at". I see this as a way for the world to know what the company stands for- its not a publicity stunt or a type of endorsement. If that is how a company wants to show the world they follow Jesus, then more power to them. They have more courage and boldness than most Christians I've seen. Besides that, there will always be negative feedback to everything, its how the world works. A scripture reference is less abrasive than someone coming up to you in mall trying to convert you or someone knocking on your door passing out religious tracts (which has happened to me many times) As an avid shopper, I see the scripture as refreshing. There are so many places that God isn't "allowed"- schools, courthouses, and any other public place. At least they didn't pick Matthew 5:29
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about this method of evangelism, but I appreciate that companies are trying to have some Christian influence. I can hardly believe that people can get offended at something as subtle as "John 3:16" on the bottom of something. However if for some reason this is counter productive to spreading the word I suppose they should find other methods of setting a good example of the Christian lifestyle. They should by no means quit displaying Christianity altogether, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that small things like scriptures on the bottom of cups and bags can count as advertising, and if it is then it is poorly done. Companies that do something like that can be seen more as a personal statement of the owner. I don't think that they do it in order to increase their sales, because I for one don't base my shopping and eating on what they market but one the quality of their products.
ReplyDeleteAs for negative feedback, you can't please everyone because someone is always going to disagree with something.
So, in retrospect I agree with Emily.
I personally love the idea of a scripture on the bottom of my shopping bag, but that is because I am a Christian. If I was living in a Muslim country and found Islamic messages or verses from the Koran on my shopping bag, it would not leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling about Muslims. It would probably make me think of them as very extreme. Though the owner of a business has every right ot stick whatever he wants on his merchandise, I think it makes Christians look a little fanatical to other religious groups or atheists if they write Bible verses on everything. It seems like the best way to evangelize is simply to act like authentic Christians and love one another.
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