Category Archives: advertising
Humanism and the Census
The British Humanist Association are making a big thing about the UK 2011 Census, in particular the question that asks “What is your religion?” They say that on the 2001 census, the first time such a question was asked, the question was a leading question added to the fact that the first option was ‘Christian’ and the option for ‘No Religion’ was at the bottom of the list. This year the BHA have come us with a huge campaign which includes, yes, bus adverts (seems to be the main thing they do), encouraging people to tick the ‘No Religion’ box. Some of their adverts were banned because they were deemed ‘offensive’ to some people. One of them , ironically, was preaching about how one person didn’t like to be preached at! They want people who do not subscribe to any religion to say so.
But it really comes down to what the question is asking. Sociologists agree that there is a difference between religious practice and religious affiliation. In the last census a huge proportion of the population ticked that they were Christian – a staggering 37 million people out of the 52 million census forms in 2001. Compare this to only 7.75 million people who ticked ‘No Religion’ and a further 4 million who did not answer the question. No-one is stupid enough to claim that they were all card carrying practising Christians because they are evidently seen in church not often or at all. But it is possible to feel affiliated to a religion without practising it. Every year thousands of couples get married in church despite the fact that there are plenty of beautiful country houses around that offer non-religious ceremonies. And thousands of couple bring their children to be baptised even if they are not regular church-goers. Why is this? It clearly doesn’t say much about their religious practice, but does say something about their religious affiliation. They obviously have some sort of link with the church or religion in question even if it stops short of regular committed faith.
So I ask, is it not legitimate for someone like this to tick the box ‘Christian’ because it is expressing their affiliation if not their practice? The BHA would like them to tick no because it would like us to think that atheism is more prominent than it is. In practise we have a lot of nominal belief around. People may be reluctant to go to church but it seems they are also reluctant to give up on the idea of God too. It will be interesting to see what this years census brings.
Embrace Life
This is an advert for road safety done by the local government in Sussex, UK.
No blood, no guts, no gore. Just an enduring message of what is important to him. Small actions (such the act of wearing a seat belt) seem obvious when weighed up against what there is to live for. Wonderful.
Atheist advertising in South Carolina
By far the best of the atheist adverts to come along, primarily because it does not seek to persuade the reader of their position. Instead it encourages those who agree to identify with others of the same persuasion. I wonder though, do atheists usually feel alone? I suppose in SC, the heart of the Bible belt they might. Of course, community is at the heart of the Christian faith.
The ad, with the headline “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone,” is scheduled to go up this coming Monday. It’s from a group called the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, working in tandem with the American Humanist Association. “This billboard is unlike any that has ever appeared in South Carolina,” says Herb Silverman, one of the Secular Humanists. “We expect it to generate a mix of reactions from surprise, curiosity, and even uplift.”
…and I’m a PC
Interesting that Microsoft have taken the negative, slightly mocking slogan used by Apple in their “I’m a Mac” adverts and turned it into something more positive. I saw this banner advert whilst logging onto my hotmail email account (which I tend to use only for spam). Clicking on the banner takes you to a site which lets you pick what sort of Windows platform might suit you best.
A few years ago Volkswagen cars bought the Czech Skoda brand, recognised in Eastern Europe but ridiculed accross Western Europe. They sold cheap, ugly cars, made from cheap materials which break quickly. With such a bad brand reputation, surely, the best thing to do in Western Europe would be to scrap the brand nd intorduce a new one? But no, VW quickly increased the quality of Skoda cars to match VW themselves, and cleverly introduced an advertising slogan which turned the brand reputation on its head. The adverts showed people seeing the cars and not believing they were really Skodas. The tag line was “It’s a Skoda. Honest” One advert even suggested that they had put the wrong badge on the front of the car. Anyway, the perception of the brand quickly changed and they are now known for producing quality cars at more affordable prices than VW.
I wonder if the Microsoft adverts will have the same effect.
What a lot of fuss an ad can make
Yes, there’s more on the Atheist Bus Campaign, which went live this week in several UK cities. Now, it seems, the debate is going to be opened up even more, with the Advertising Standards agency looking into it. Not sure Clifford Longley’s is the best approach, but the debate will certainly be fun.
Clifford Longley is quoted on The Times blog.
Shopping
Debenhams have very kindly told me that I can shop online in their sale ON CHRISTMAS DAY!!! Aparrently, the point of life is to consume and buy things, and even when the shops are closed we can still do that. I was rather looking forward to having a complete day free of anything like that, enjoying the company of people rather than the false security of things.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Christians respond in the bus campaign
Following on from adverts being placed by atheists on buses in London and Washington, in DC some Christians have decided to launch a pro-God campaign of their own.
from AdFreak:
“My name is JoEllen. After a friend forwarded me an article about the AHA ad campaign, I thought, ‘Enough!’ I am so tired of God and religion being attacked that I decided to start a counter ad campaign.”
If it gets people to think, I guess it’s a good thing. The original atheist adverts on London buses were responding to 
advertisements for the alpha course, which gives a short introduction to the claims of the Christian faith. Alpha adverts pointed the reader to a website which lists the churches which are running the course. This advert does not direct you anywhere.
Interesting, but maybe money could have been used better. God doesn’t really need advertising. He’s managed without it for ages. There is really no substitute for the witness that comes out of a genuine Christian friendship – this is how people have become Christians for centuries – one friend telling another, telling another etc.
U.S. getting its own atheism bus campaign
Further to a recent post of mine about atheists advertising on london buses, the American Humanist Association has decided to get in on the act.
Atheists seem to have a thing for buses. We recently wrote about the bus ads in London which proclaimed, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Along these same lines, Washington, D.C., is now getting its own atheist bus campaign, headlined, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.” The advertiser is the American Humanist Association, which is putting $40,000 into the holiday campaign. An AHA rep says the group is running the ads now because “there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion.” (Can’t they just comfort themselves with some rampant consumerism?) For its part, the American Family Association was typically eloquent in denouncing the effort. “It’s a stupid ad,” says a rep there.
via AdFreak: U.S. getting its own atheism bus campaign
Interesting that they decide to take morality as their theme. From where does morality come?
Atheists Advertise
The godless move in mysterious ways: what the atheist bus campaign’s advert will look like. Ariane Sherine: All aboard the atheist bus campaign - guardian.co.uk
I would add:
1. Why are they advertising – what benefits will they get?
2. The presumption that the there is no-God will lead people to enjoy their life is flawed.
3. Advertising is usually used to propagate or open up a perceived need in the person who sees the advert. This does not to that.
4. Surely the most powerful thing that leads people towards the non-existence of God is simply that many don’t really think about it. This campaign forces people to think about God!
Here’s a billboard advert I found that was quite fun.
