Church Advertising Observations Part 1: Why It Doesn’t Work

by Jeremy Harrison

 

Church advertising observations from someone who doesn’t like church advertising. (Part 1)

 

While driving home from a family vacation today, we passed a billboard for a church. It read:

 

“The church for people who don’t like church.”

 

As I continued to drive, I started thinking about it.  I’ve seen many variations on this campaign across the country.  So why does it always bother me when I see ads like these? Today I finally had enough time in the car to figure it out.

 

First, a disclaimer. I’m a marketing guy. I am not really a church marketing guy. But as a believer who happens to do advertising and marketing for a living, I often pay attention to church marketing.

 

Does your church advertising work?

 

Perhaps you think there’s room to improve it, or you are on the verge of giving up on church advertising completely.  Before you do anything drastic, consider these three reasons why I think most church advertising (like the campaign I saw on vacation) simply doesn’t work.

 

(Read the author's list of observations here: http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/2012/10/church-advertising-observati...)