For God So Loved the Super Bowl Viewers
For some, watching the cool, quirky or comical Super Bowl ads has become as much a part of the show as the halftime entertainment—or even the game itself. Every year, advertisers launch some of their most memorable campaigns during the NFL’s main event.
But this year’s Super Bowl ads won’t be all talking babies and beer commercials. Fixed Point Foundation is launching a new initiative called “LookUp 316.” As part of the initiative, Fixed Point is airing a commercial in Alabama during Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011.
Rather than selling a product, advancing a political cause, or promoting an organization, the ad will encourage people to look up John 3:16 and consider its profound message of hope.
The genesis of the project started with a simple thought: If you had 30 seconds to speak to millions of people, what would you say? Would you sell something? Offer social or political commentary? Or would you want to say something else? Fixed Point saw the annual Super Bowl advertising hype as a an opportunity to say something truly meaningful.
The original goal of LookUp 316 was to air a national commercial during Super Bowl XLV. Fixed Point claims Fox Sports, the network airing this year’s event, rejected the commercial because it contained “religious doctrine.” Fox Sports could not immediately be reached for comment.
“Of course, it seems one can advertise just about anything else,” the organization says. “Few movie trailers are deemed too violent or beer commercials too sexual for primetime. But religious messages, particularly Christian ones, well, that’s just too controversial. So we have taken our message to local markets.”
Fixed Point believes Super Bowl XLV is an opportunity to encourage football fans to look up John 3:16. After all, the group says, John 3:16 is part of the culture of football. It is occasionally seen on signs in end zones after field goal and extra point attempts, on players’ tape and tattoos, and Tim Tebow was famous for writing it in his eye black. Yet, Fixed Point concludes, many fans don’t know what it means. Fixed Point hopes to change that for millions on Super Bowl Sunday.
What kind of impact do you think Fixed Point will make an impact with its Gospel strategy?
