I sure agree with the sentiment. Not so sure about the specific tactic. A couple of quick points.
Gracepoint has used a tagline saying they're for "people who don't like church" for a long while now. This goes another step in that direction. It think maybe it's TOO far. I'd rather you tell me who you are, than who you aren't. If you're going to tell me who you aren't, do you have to bag on others to do that?
Second... the website. Wish they'd have spent the 20 bucks to get a specific domain name for the campaign... instead of parking it on the video streamers URL. How's someone going to say "hey did you see 360 Wichita dot com slash churches slash Gracepoint?" ChurchDoesntSuck dot com, net and org are all available.
I haven't seen the billboard... but apparently it points to the main church web site. And.. uhhh... it doesn't link to this video. I'm confused.
And finally... the message. Again... lots of negative. Lots of slams on church and tradition. As I've said before, stories are powerful. The web video is OK... but I wish it was about story. Personal, real stories about people who are connecting with God at Gracepoint. That makes it about who you area. Instead, we find out who you aren't.
In his E-mail introducing the campaign, Pastor Bryson Butts says he's sure the campaign will offend some people. Well, he's probably right. I think this is better than Satan's billboards. I hope it's successful.
I just think it could be even more effective.
Posts
2 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more about this billboard. Tell me who you are as a church, tell me what events you're doing, tell me what makes you different. It almost seems like an ego trip, it's as if they implying that other churches in Wichita suck. Let's be original and creative with our message.
When I first saw this billboard, I did not take it to mean that other churches sucked. I took it to mean that church in general doesn't suck.
This church is reaching out to people who think church is not for them - that it sucks. People who already go to church and like it are not the target market here.
I agree that their campaign needed a little tweaking, but this is a relatively new church with not as much $$ to spend. What you didn't reference were the marketing materials they gave to members to pass along. I saw these cards and flyers everywhere and eventually I logged on to the web site which I felt spoke for itself in the "what we are about/what we do" area previously mentioned in the blog.
Billboards have to get your attention and be simple. This one is edgy and that's the point. The gracepoint.com points you where you need to go for more information is simple enough to remember. You remembered the billboard enough to blog about it so in some way it has been effective already.
I know for a fact Gracepoint didn't mean to imply that other churches suck. I attended a service to see it for myself and I am now a member!
Post a Comment