Jesus is coming… to Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl LX.
You may remember the ‘He Gets Us’ ad campaign from Super Bowls past. The $1 billion marketing push to advertise Jesus comes courtesy of the Servant Christian Foundation, bankrolled by megadonors like Hobby Lobby CEO David Green. Their goal? Reintroduce the most well-known man in human history.
In 2024, the group made headlines with an ad depicting Christians humbly washing the feet of everyone from immigrants to women receiving an abortion to alcoholics which aired during the first quarter of the Super Bowl - an ad that managed to unite Americans in near-universal discomfort.
Now, ‘He Gets Us’ is back. So what’s their message this year?
Advertising for Jesus
This year’s ad, titled ‘More’ has already racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. With fast-paced editing showing racing cars, influencers snapping selfies, and a man preparing for plastic surgery, the ad emphasizes the speed, noise, and artificiality of modern life. At the end, the noise dissipates and a smiling woman is standing alone in a desert, looking to the heavens.
“There’s more to life than more,” comes up on screen. “What if Jesus shows us how to find it?” it asks.
“The spot is really showing the thing we all feel, which is the absurdity of where things are at,” explained Simon Armour, creative head of the nonprofit which produced the ad. “We’re chasing our tails, we’re going fast, but going nowhere.”
Will the Message Resonate?
Throughout its short lifespan, the ‘He Gets Us’ ads have made a big splash. Through their cinematic production values, carefully calibrated messaging, and a few billionaire backers, they’ve managed to turn Jesus Christ into a regular fixture of the nation’s biggest sporting event, pushing hopeful messages of unity, kindness, and understanding.
However, some say that the group’s message may already be falling on deaf ears. Prior to his death, Charlie Kirk lambasted the ads, arguing that group founders were fooled by ad agencies pushing progressive messaging, arguing they “have been taken for a ride by these woke tricksters. So sad!”
And Kirk’s own Turning Points USA group is hosting an alternative halftime show celebrating “faith, family, and freedom” headlined by Kid Rock. They argue that Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny - who is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and a prominent critic of ICE - is an overly divisive pick.
Regardless, some 130 million people are expected to watch the Super Bowl this year, and most of them will see this very ad. Whether it lands as a moment of reflection or just another commercial remains to be seen.
What is your response? Have you seen the ‘He Gets Us’ ads - and if so, what do you think of them?
What a pathetic attempt at bringing people to church…