COP 03 / Pre-tutorial Considerations

If your question is now: "How does religion use brand theory to engage its audience?"

• Can you give me some specific examples of this?

Televangelists, Scientology, Jehovas Witnesses, Marketing for Passion of the Christ.


"Churches advertise on billboards and in print media. Books sell us all types of religious and spiritual wisdom. Television has become overrun with religious content with no fewer than eight channels presenting sermons and faith-based programming 24 hours a day, not to mention religious content in broadcast prime time and as regular content for nightly newsmagazines." (Einstein, 2008)

• Which example of branding theory have been used, or will you use to analyse? 

Looking at Vance Packard's 8 hidden needs it is apparent that religion for example provides a selection:

- Emotional Security
- Roots
- Immortality.

• Is branding theory self-consciously used by religions and explicitly stated as such, or is this something you are 'imposing from the outside'? 

Unclear as at this point in my research but as of my findings thus far, it is a bit of both. Religion has had to adapt to secularisation and the changing methods of distributing information. In most cases this has been embraced and used as platforms to 'sell' religious ideologies and compete against other religions. For example, as said in the quote, Churches now use means to advertise their agendas - billboards, print, online media. Some may say this is a change that has been subconscious, however it could be said that branding religion has been forced due to religion not being practiced in the same way as it was in previous time periods.

References

EINSTEIN, M (2008). Brands Of Faith. Oxfordshire, Routledge

PACKARD, V. (1980) The hidden persuaders. Pocket.