wfn.org | ELCA Launches National Identity Campaign

[Frank Imhoff <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 26, 1998

ELCA LAUNCHES NATIONAL IDENTITY CAMPAIGN
98-30-174-AH

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
is launching a nationwide identity campaign to raise awareness of the
Lutheran church among people not associated with any church and to
reinforce positive views of the ELCA among its members.  The campaign,
which is being unveiled to a conference of ELCA communication professionals
here Aug. 27-30, will involve television, radio and print ads and outdoor
advertising.
     "This campaign is an answer to a prayer for many, a prayer that the
ELCA might be visible through the public media of television, radio, and
print advertising," said the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, ELCA director for
communication.
     Christ Bangert, project manager, said, "Religious advertising, once
low-key and rarely seen, is stepping up its profile.
     "Pre-project research reveals that two out of three people claim
religion is more important to them now than it was one year before,"
Bangert said.  "One need only witness the increase in popularity of
religious television programming to sense the momentum of this trend."
     The research pointed the ELCA to two age groups: baby boomers (with
children) and "Generation X," young adults 18-30 years of age.
     One television commercial features families and children, backed by
the Four Tops' classic song, "Reach Out I'll Be There."  Its theme is tied
to the significant rise in the priority of family among baby boomers: "What
will the world be like for our children 20 years from now?  It all depends
on what we teach them today."
     Another TV ad will stress the themes of diversity and peer
relationships valued by Generation X.  Thirty- and 60-second radio ads have
been produced as well.
     Bangert said, "We are putting kits into the hands of 160 ELCA
communicators, including sample TV spots, radio spots, and a print ad
series that can be customized by congregations."  With training and the
kits, the communicators will return to the ELCA's 65 synods "to prepare
pastors and lay leaders for the public roll-out of the campaign in their
areas and to hone their media skills, evangelism and hospitality," Bangert
said.
     Earlier this year the ELCA formally introduced a new logo that will
be featured throughout the identity campaign.
     A web site dedicated to the campaign, linked to the ELCA home page,
will offer information and a chance to respond.  Additional project
materials in Spanish are being developed, Bangert said.
     "The campaign responds to requests from throughout the church and
follows three years of preparation and involvement of folks from ELCA
congregations, synods, institutions and churchwide units," Shafer said.
     "In our research 70 percent of respondents said their major source of
information on religion is television," Shafer said.  He explained that
almost half of those could remember the specifics of an ad put out by the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html