Plenty has happened to me in the last 8 years since my last post, but the most important change is wholeheartedly accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Salvation. As a follower of Jesus, I now want to acknowledge and commit my life to Him, including my professional career as an advertiser. Colossians 3:23 says "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people...". This bible verse and others make me to wonder if I'm serving God as best as I can in the field of advertising.
I see advertising differently now and admit that a lot of ads use triggers reflective of society's nature, which is fallen, to deceptively suggest that a product could fulfill emotional needs that as a Christian I know only God can fill or heal through Christ. For example, why would a telecommunications company develop digital ads that promote watching pornagraphy on their channels? Well, because the marketing data shows that its customers are watching it. I've seen this happen, now wishing I would have done more to recommend against it and praying for the strength/courage to have the agency push the client against it next time.
However, not all advertising is bad, it can be used to spread the light of Jesus Christ and gospel, as Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” It's not easy though, especially living in a society that sees ads that mention Jesus or have an image of the bible as offensive and a threat, don't believe me, just Google it. Despite the opposition, advertising is a business about creative ideas that promote a message, so as a Christian who is an advertiser, my goal is to find creative ways to hack and disrupt this worldly system against God and break in with the message of love, hope and redemption found in Jesus Christ.
I see advertising differently now and admit that a lot of ads use triggers reflective of society's nature, which is fallen, to deceptively suggest that a product could fulfill emotional needs that as a Christian I know only God can fill or heal through Christ. For example, why would a telecommunications company develop digital ads that promote watching pornagraphy on their channels? Well, because the marketing data shows that its customers are watching it. I've seen this happen, now wishing I would have done more to recommend against it and praying for the strength/courage to have the agency push the client against it next time.
However, not all advertising is bad, it can be used to spread the light of Jesus Christ and gospel, as Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” It's not easy though, especially living in a society that sees ads that mention Jesus or have an image of the bible as offensive and a threat, don't believe me, just Google it. Despite the opposition, advertising is a business about creative ideas that promote a message, so as a Christian who is an advertiser, my goal is to find creative ways to hack and disrupt this worldly system against God and break in with the message of love, hope and redemption found in Jesus Christ.
Comments