The agency behind the viral Jesus ad that ran during Sunday night’s Super Bowl is welcoming controversy surrounding the campaign after the ad sparked backlash on social media from both the right and the left. I explained the reason.
He Gets Us, a campaign that claims it wants to help everyone “rediscover the love story of Jesus”, has planned two advertising spots during Sunday’s match. His 60 second ad called “Foot Washing” and his 15 second ad called “Who is my Neighbor?”
Jason VanderGround, Brandhaven spokesperson and President of Brandhaven, told Fox News Digital that the ad brings people who are intrigued by Jesus’ “unconditional love, kindness, and generosity” to Jesus. He said the aim is to invite people to explore the message. He said the campaign also aims to “destroy” “preconceptions” about Jesus and Christianity.
“Foot washing” It shows unlikely people washing the feet of others, such as a police officer washing the feet of a young black man and a pro-life activist washing the feet of a woman outside a family planning clinic. It ends with the slogan, “Jesus did not teach hatred. He washed your feet.”
Super Bowl ‘foot washing’ Christian ad faces attack from left hitting Hobby Lobby links
The “Foot Washing” ad spot for “He Gets Us” aired Sunday night during Super Bowl V. (Courtesy of He Gets Us)
“Who Are My Neighbors?” shows images of people from different backgrounds, including a homeless woman begging for money. The ad ends by describing your neighbor as someone you “don’t notice, don’t value, and don’t welcome.”
VanderGround said this year’s ad was created with an election year in mind, but had no political intent.
“We’re not only seeing a lot of conflict, but we’re also seeing an increased sense of isolation and anxiety,” he said. “Looking back, we were looking through the Bible and thinking about what was the unique message of Jesus in this environment.”
Last year, the campaign spent $20 million on two Super Bowl ads that showed Jesus empathizing with immigrants and the poor and tired of political division, Fox News Digital previously reported. This year, Vanderground explained, the focus has shifted to what “loving your neighbor” actually looks like.
“What we’re trying to give people is the Jesus that even though we have differences, even though we have different beliefs and strong beliefs, there’s still a way that we can transcend all of that and treat each other. “It’s an invitation from, and it’s actually very helpful to us as Americans,” he continued.
Democratic lawmaker slams Super Bowl fan who didn’t stand during Black national anthem
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
A campaign spokesperson touted the effectiveness of the ad, calling it “the biggest Yes campaign we’ve ever seen.”
Since the game, their site has been viewed more than 700,000 times, he said, adding that engagement has increased and more people are signing up for Bible reading plans.
“We’re just like [trying] This is to give people a glimpse of “What is Jesus’ way?” And we shatter their preconceived notions about Jesus, and in many cases their ideas of Christianity, and say, “This is a man who lives for us, who lives for us, who loves us unconditionally, who loves us unconditionally, who teaches us unconditional love, unwavering forgiveness, and grace. “He was the perfect example of kindness,” Vanderground said.
Some conservative Christians criticize the ads on social media, saying they are at best out of touch and at worst blasphemous.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
This is a continuation of “Who is my neighbor?” From the “He Gets Us” campaign (Courtesy of He Gets Us)
The ad also came under attack from the left, as the family that owns the Hobby Lobby craft store reportedly helped fund the campaign.
VanderGround said he found the backlash “actually very encouraging.”
“Time and time again we try to send out subversive messages about Jesus that change people’s understanding of who Jesus was and what it means to follow him, and time and time again we have such a response. “And we’re getting that kind of response from people from all walks of life. It’s surprising at first,” he began.
“But the more they dig into our message, the more they read about it on the website, the more they find other Christians saying, ‘This is the gospel.’ So, for Christians, you see Jesus on all fours washing the feet of Judas, who is about to betray him, who is washing Peter’s feet, who is going to deny him, who is going to deny him. “I wasn’t making a choice there. I wasn’t going to wash anyone’s feet around the table,” he said. “I think that’s something we can take and apply today.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“He Gets Us” also addressed critics on the left who argued that the millions of dollars spent on Super Bowl ads could have been better spent on helping the poor.
“The opportunity to showcase the message of Jesus in the midst of the biggest cultural event we have, to reveal the love of Jesus, and to invite people to explore more and read the Bible. It feels like a great investment. “To show all kinds of generosity,” Vanderground explained.
That generosity was further demonstrated at “He Gets Us,” a community service event held in Las Vegas on Saturday in collaboration with local faith-based nonprofits and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He said groups of different beliefs worked together to distribute bags of food and provide medical services to underserved communities.
This year’s ads are being funded by a new nonprofit called Come Near, which is not affiliated with “any individual, political position, church, or religious denomination,” according to the He Gets Us website.
Come Near’s CEO is Ken Calwell, who previously served as chief marketing officer at Compassion International. He also worked as a food industry executive for many years, most recently serving as CEO of Papa Murphy’s Pizza.
FOX News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
