By Kim Kim Riddlebarger @ http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/
According to a recent article on marketing to churches, it won't be long before slick advertising campaigns begin making their way into your own local congregation. Everything from movies, concerts, and SUVs, will all be promoted in the local church. Some groups will be targeted according to racial identity, others based on their conservative politics. According to an article posted on knowledge @ Wharton (Click here: Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches - Knowledge @ Wharton) . . .
"Advertising has begun to seep into churches, and the phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down, say academic, religious and marketing experts. Among the wave of early adopters: the Republican Party, which successfully sold its platform to church-goers in the 2000 and 2004 elections; Hollywood, which discovered the economic power of faith when Mel Gibson's church-marketed film `The Passion of the Christ' became a blockbuster; and publishing, with Rick Warren's best-selling The Purpose-Driven Life, heavily marketed by a Christian publishing house.
These products -- a conservative political agenda, a film about Jesus and an evangelical book -- all had at least some religious connection to Christian consumers. Now some advertisers are taking the next step: marketing products -- like an SUV -- with no intrinsic religious value through church networks. `If we are going to target the African-American consumer, we have to go where they go, rather than ask them to come to us, and the church is a major institution for that community,' says James Kenyon, Chrysler Group brand marketing senior manager."
What products would work well at Christ Reformed? Can't you just see this header in the bulletin . . . "Today's worship service has been brought to you by `Red Bull.'" That would keep everyone on their toes! Since our weekly potucks help keep Little Caesars and KFC in business, maybe they'd be interested in doing some advertising.
What products could be successfully promoted in your church? Reformation churches are known to love strong coffee and certain kinds of adult beverages. What would you like to see advertised?
Of course, you realize, someone could get rich here with the right idea!
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