Super Bowl ads will tout message of Jesus ‘gets us’ to the masses

The religiously wary and spiritually curious are the target audience for a Super Bowl ad campaign with a simple message: Jesus loves them. A group that includes wealthy Christian boosters is using the biggest megaphone TV marketing money can buy to spread the word with two new ads that proclaim “He Gets Us.”they hope to counter the notion that religion is used to divide people, spending about $20 million to reach more than 100 million viewers at a time when U.S. religious affiliation is in decline.

Because religion is a touchy subject and prime-time advertising is so expensive, it is rare for faith to be promoted alongside the Super Bowl ’s beer and fast-food commercials. But the backers of the “He Gets Us” campaign see it as a great opportunity.“it fits with our target audience really well,” said campaign spokesperson Jason Vanderground about the NFL and its big game. “We’re trying to get the message across to people who are spiritually open, but skeptical.”

Christianity is still in the majority in the U.S., with 63% of adults defining themselves as believers, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey. But that figure is down from 78% in 2007.

Within the NFL, Christianity has long permeated the culture, and fans are accustomed to expressions of faith, from lockerroom prayers to players pointing skyward after touchdowns. That may help explain why there are so few faith-related Super Bowl ads, said Paul Putz, assistant director of Baylor University’s Faith & Sports Institute. “Football players themselves have often been the advertisements for Jesus,” he said.