IF THE SHOE DOESN’T FIT… DON’T WEAR IT

Posted by Barton Damer on February 18th, 2009 at 11:37 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3doDhXLYtUM

I saw this really cool commercial during the midnight replay of the All-Star game this past weekend. I automatically assumed it was for Nike or Adidas who tend to brand their products extremely well. So by the end of the commercial I’m pumped up for reasons that the marketers didn’t intend. I was paying attention to the 3d work and camera tracking they did for the commercial. Anyway, the stage is set. They’ve grabbed my attention; and I’m ready to hear who this company is that has sparked my interest. (Enter fancy logo animation) IT WAS A K-MART COMMERCIAL for a brand called PROTEGE! Talk about a buzz kill! A stream of emotions enter my head. I wanted to deny that it was a cool commercial. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t convince myself to NOT love the branding of it. A commercial that cool seems out of place for a K-Mart product. I can see Target pulling it off; but K-Mart????

Anyway, I can’t help but wonder… is that how we portray our ministries to the community? Do we fit the brand we are creating or are we imitating something that does not fit our personality? Anyone can hire talent to make them look great. Does that new look reflect what you have to offer? The best sermon series branding in the world might get people to try out your church for the first time, but whether or not they return relies on if your “product” meets their expectations. Will the kid’s ministry live up to the brand you’ve created? What about the worship? What about the preaching? I’m not sure how I feel about a worship band of 22 year olds followed up by a 50 year old pastor in a suit. It tends to feel like a bit of a bait and switch to me. The beautiful thing to remember is that not everyone likes to wear Nike or Adidas. Lots of people shop at K-Mart. Maybe your ministry would better be described as a pair of Converse. Regardless of where you fall into the shoe marketing metaphors, the product has to be worth the investment. Your dollars spent branding yourself to the outside community will be waisted if the internal affairs are not taken care of first.

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9 Responses to “IF THE SHOE DOESN’T FIT… DON’T WEAR IT”

Amen! And I would add one more question to the list – do we as churches first know who we are and are we comfortable with that? Only then can we begin to match any branding efforts to who we are.

I wonder how many of us don’t even perceive a disconnect between cool branding and our real non-cool selves because we’re actually wanting to be someone we’re not. So many are trying to be Willow Creek or Saddleback or Mars Hill or Lifechurch.tv or North Point or whomever, when God’s called us to be us.

But at the same time, isn’t there caution to be had on the other side too – from many bigger churches who offer their materials pre-branded (sermon series, etc.), so it’s less a matter of an individual church branding themselves than taking the easy road of buying into pre-built materials?

Thanks for the reflections! Good stuff!

posted at 3:28 pm on February 18th, 2009 by Michael Schutz

Caveat: I am a young pastor.

I’m not sure how a “young” praise band followed by a “50 yr. old pastor” is a bait and switch…

Unless “cool” church is only done by suave dressing 25 yr. old visionaries full of charisma, good jokes, with Relevant magazine in their hands.

I guess even as a younger pastor, I thought that was one whale of a “ageist” comment. I’ve met some 50 yr. olds who were pretty cool, and tons of 25 yr. olds that I wish would sit down and shut up.

Besides, it sounds like “cool” and “wow” factors seem to have more weight in this article than substance!?!

Perhaps a different way of saying it would be more prudent…because I think (hope) you didn’t mean what you said!

posted at 5:31 pm on February 18th, 2009 by Mark

Mark,
I did not mean to suggest that an older preacher is not effective. (I often prefer an older preacher like John Piper or Lon Solomon). And yes. There are plenty of young preachers who seem as if they were over 50. I don’t think I suggested that one is effective and one is not. In fact, that is why I encouraged people to be K-mart if that fits their personality. Be Converse if that is a better fit. My point is what Michael echo’d… be yourself in ministry. If you attract a crowd based on some slick branding and then they show up and your kid’s ministry is disorganized, missing teachers, or does not live up to the expectations created by your marketing campaign/branding/website, etc…. those are all issues that can be fixed internally… for free!

posted at 6:22 pm on February 18th, 2009 by Barton Damer

I humbly concede that we were so poor when I was in high school that all we could afford was Kmart Trax for basketball hi-top shoes.

posted at 9:49 am on February 19th, 2009 by Jim Gray

In a very real way, all Christians are called to be advertisers/marketers for the Jesus brand. It’s all about being real and sharing the Gospel message. The secular world largely assumes that churches are full of hypocrits out to steal them blind. The marketing they’ve seen is embodied in the salespitches of televangelists and the scandals of fallen church leaders. We must be about the job of countering that in our daily walk so that those we come in contact with get a different picture of what following Christ is all about.

Having spent several years producing TV ads for our church, the most effective spots featured church members demonstrating the caring of Christ and the benefits of joining the “family” of God. If a person shows up at church and hears a youthful praise band leading worship and then a mature preacher lets the Holy Spirit touch the souls of those in attendance, there is no bait and switch – that’s fellowship with the living God! [smile]

That’s my 2 cents :^{>

posted at 10:17 am on February 19th, 2009 by 'Mas

I’m trying to imagine a more vomit inducing topic than hip marketing strategies to increase the effectiveness of prosthelization. I am also bewildered how someone who continually engages in such activity could claim to be using the life of Jesus Christ as a template for their own.

posted at 10:28 pm on February 19th, 2009 by larhule

Thanks Larhule. The same reaction you have to hip marketing strategies for prosthelization is a similar reaction that I had to hip ad campaigns for K-Mart. When something is perceived in a negative way and it prohibits the results of that cause, it is time for a new strategy – or rebrand. As a christian, I try to make faith in Jesus look as appealing as possible. Because the message has changed my life, I would like to appeal to others knowing that Christ can change their life as well. Sometimes, that takes some attention getting… or marketing. In the case of this K-Mart commercial, it comes across to me as some super slick advertising (And it is. They hired one of the best motion studios on the planet – Superfad)… yet K-Mart has not changed. I’m encouraging churches to NOT do that. Being real and sharing Christ with the gifts he has given you is the point of this post. Putting out a false impression of your church and it’s personality is what I’m warning against. I would think we can both agree on that.

posted at 1:50 pm on February 20th, 2009 by Barton Damer

We most certainly would agree on that. And to that end, I find it highly appropriate and telling that churches are swimming in the same marketing mud puddle as the most shameless of private sector giants.

“I can see Target pulling it off; but K-Mart????”

In other words, WWTD? I think that, as hard as you may try to qualify your message of truth-in-advertising, your analogies with corporate America are eirily appropriate especially when you consider that they’re coming from a guy who makes flashy graphics for church groups. It’s as if I’m watching a Monty Python sketch.

posted at 11:00 am on February 23rd, 2009 by larhule

This is actually a commerical for protege shoes that are deisgned by Al Harrington from the Knicks. He is comitted to helping black urban youths afford good shoes without having to pay a fortune becuz he grew up poor. He sells them at k-mart because he knows that's where the people who need his shoes shop.

so if you think it's an ad for kmart you need to look again, it's an ad for protege and al harrington. which he would never go to target becuase he knows they sell women and fashion and not kids and teens who need good shoes they can actually play in at a price they can afford.

rahter than get rich – he gives back – which more celebrities and athletes should do

posted at 11:15 pm on August 10th, 2009 by j.d.

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