This year’s Super Bowl telecast on Fox network will be watched by tens of millions of TV viewers who will critique the TV commercials as much as cheer for their favorite team. Locally, KSWB-TV Fox 5 San Diego will air the game on Sunday, Feb. 12.
In addition to ads for beers, chips and automobile brands, different this year will be two spots promoting another brand: Jesus.
“He Gets Us,” a slick advertising campaign to promote Jesus Christ as someone with earthly life experiences similar to people today, has announced plans to run national 30- and 60-second spots during the Big Game. The ads’ call-to-action will be to visit the HeGetsUs.com website for live chat, prayer, a virtual Bible study plan and an app.
Two advertising agencies, Dallas-based Lerma and Haven of Grand Haven, Mich., are credited with the campaign’s creative content.
“The ‘He Gets Us’ Super Bowl spots will explore how the teachings and example of Jesus demonstrate that radical love, generosity, and kindness have the power to change the world,” Jon Lee, a principal at Lerma, said in a statement. “Our goal is to give voice to the pent-up energy of like-minded Jesus followers, those who are in the pews and the ones that aren’t, who are ready to reclaim the name of Jesus from those who abuse it to judge, harm and divide people.”
Jason Vanderground, president of Haven, said in a statement the Super Bowl spots “will explore how Jesus had a set of beliefs, convictions, and principles, but always treated others with radical love, compassion, and forgiveness.”
The He Gets Us advertising campaign, launched in December 2021, is funded by $100 million from a Kansas-based foundation of Christian donors, according to news reports.
Online black-and-white videos showing Jesus as a rebel, an activist and host of a dinner party, have been viewed more than 300 million times, said the Washington Post.
Billboards with such messages as “Jesus let his hair down, too” and “Jesus went all in, too,” have appeared at New York City’s Times Square and the Las Vegas strip.
PR Chief Jon Schmid Serving as President of LAI Land-Use Group
Jon Schmid, president and CEO of Cook + Schmid, a San Diego-based public relations agency specializing in public outreach and community engagement, will serve as the 2023 president of Lambda Alpha International‘s San Diego chapter. LAI is an honorary global organization comprised of top professionals working in land use.
“Name any major development in San Diego and an LAI member is behind it,” Schmid told Times of San Diego. “But what really makes LAI special is the bond between members their sharing of knowledge. I’m honored to lead this organization in 2023.”
His term as LAI San Diego chapter president runs the 2023 calendar year. LAI San Diego, founded in 1979, has 154 members, said Schmid.
“LAI’s membership truly represents the leaders in land use in our region and I’m honored to serve as the 2023 president of this distinguished organization,” said Schmid. “I look forward to continuing the tradition of top-notch programming, as well as facilitating the relationships and collegial atmosphere that make LAI San Diego special. We will also look at ways to modernize and ensure that we continue to attract the new generation of land-use leaders.”
LAI membership is by invitation only and provides a forum for the exchange of ideas in the world of land use and development. Members come from a wide variety of fields related to the use and reuse of land.
LAI San Diego holds monthly luncheons with guest speakers on topics critical to land use, as well as regular social events and tours of notable properties. The international organization sponsors twice-annual Land Economics Weekends, giving members an opportunity to meet and learn about land economic issues in other cities throughout the world. In 2023, the weekends will be held in Barcelona, Spain.
Cook + Schmid has supported major initiatives and developments in the region, including the Port Master Plan Update, Chula Vista Bay Front Master Plan, affordable housing, homelessness and healthcare, as well as private development. The agency also has facilitated transportation, water, housing and energy infrastructure projects in the region.
In addition to many local awards, Cook + Schmid has been honored by the Public Relations Society of America with five Silver Anvils, the industry’s highest national honor for strategic programs. The Architectural Institute of America also has acknowledged the firm’s work on the Port Master Plan Update with its President’s Award
“San Diego is at an important crossroads, with many transformational development and infrastructure projects queued up or underway,” said Schmid. “However, this is not without its challenges as we seek to accommodate growth and maintain the quality of life that we love in San Diego. The depth and breadth of LAI’s membership and its collective knowledge, as well as the tremendous resources offered by the international organization, will be instrumental as we navigate the future of the region.”
Nicky Delasalle Joins DirectAvenue as VP of Growth
DirectAvenue, a Carlsbad-based media and technology company, has hired Nicky Delasalle as vice president of growth.
Previously, Delasalle spent 11 years at Havas Edge, a marketing agency specializing in direct response advertising campaigns with headquarters in Carlsbad. She has more than 20 years of experience in online and offline marketing, including creative, strategy, television, outdoor, digital, audio and influencer marketing.
“We are thrilled to have Nicky on board,” said Scott Kowalchek, DirectAvenue founder and CEO. “Her depth of experience, knowledge and management capabilities will propel our growing team of seasoned executives forward.”
“I am energized by the work ahead to further grow the agency,” said Delasalle. “Through our best-in-class technology capabilities, our deep knowledge of the offline and online media space, and experienced senior staff, DirectAvenue is poised to deliver exceptional results for existing and new clients alike.”
DirectAvenue plans, buys and measures brand responses across all media screens and customer touchpoints.
Health Care Communicators Accepting Entries for 2023 Awards
The Health Care Communicators of Southern California, a professional networking group, is accepting entries for its 2023 Finest Awards program that recognizes excellence in healthcare marketing, advertising and communications for work completed between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022. Deadline for entries is Feb. 11. Entry cost is $75 for members, $100 for nonmembers.
Award categories include public relations campaigns, advertising, digital marketing, multi-media, writing, publications, collateral and design, special events, analytics and “off-the-wall.” For more information, email at hccsdevents@gmail.com.
The group is also accepting nominations for its annual Communicator of the Year award. The COTY award is open to all professionals at any level who works in a marketing communication capacity in healthcare or other health-related fields in Southern California. This includes professionals from public relations, marketing, advertising, healthcare or media professions. Eligible nominees have consistently demonstrated excellence in healthcare communication through service to their organization and-or to the healthcare industry as a whole.
There is no entry fee for COTY nominations. Deadline for COTY nominations is Feb. 11. For information, visit the entry form.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.