Well and that's just what surprised me...it's not about politics, at all. It's all about changes being made to Granger, etc.

I don't want to beat up Granger...I love what they do, especially what they are doing with the way they handle the flow of information from the church to the web. It serves as a reminder that what we do is about communication...the spinoff rarely works because it's trying to be clever, not communicate.

i feel like this blends in....in fact a lot i feel like that phrase is used alot in the real world relating to campaigns etc.. or something to that effect. the political arena is just a weird topic for the chruch, not that it shouldnt be addressed, it should, but in a fresh and different way.

I don't like it much. I don't think it says much, and brings with it all kind of opportunity for confusion.

That being said... if that confusion brings the opportunity for conversation, maybe??? But I don't think so.

And one other thing...

This is a very internal series of sermons, I'm guessing. It's about changes that are coming to Granger, so the confusion may not be that big a deal.

Even so... I don't like it, much. But... who cares about me? I suppose if it works for Granger... OK.

This marketing campaign is a big miss, in my opinion, for several reasons. It looked to me that Granger supported Obama. Even if they don't, there is now a mental tie that I make between Granger and Obama. For better or for worse, it's a residual effect of placing your church name right next to Obama's marketing slogan (presented in the same font and red/white/blue that Obama uses).

Touching on what a previous poster commented, it seems like they've pulled the old bait & switch on me. The graphics imply political change. It is eventually revealed that the main message is about changes in the church. The American politcal arena (the Presidency, no less) is a hugely sensitive issue today, the very mention of which usually evokes very strong thoughts and feelings that wind in all sorts of directions. Initially I expected to read something that was focused mainly on Obama and politics. Then I read on to find out what it was really about and felt somewhat deceived and totally unamused—to the point that I wasn't so sure I wanted to give this campaign any further attention. By using politics as a segue, this campaign seems insensitive to the fact that people quite often feel strongly about politics.

I also think it cheapens the message on both sides. I doubt this is the vision of change Obama's campaign intended to be casting in their marketing, and I doubt Granger is referencing the type of change Obama is speaking of.

You have to be careful with these types of things...especially when you bring politics into the mix.

It absolutely is possible to be culturally relevant and creatively independent...BUT...there's no shortcut.

It is SO easy for us (church marketers, designers, etc.) to focus on the aesthetics of a piece, after all we've looked like monkeys long enough (yes I know monkeys are actually kind of cute...but you get the point) but we must first be communicators.

As much love as I have for the folks at Granger, I have to agree with all of you...this just does not communicate the message they are trying to convey.

i think it is totally possible to be culturally relevant while at the same time being creatively independant - but this marketing campaign is not a great example of any of these two concepts.

i have the same initial questions as stated in the post...

- is this obama's new church after he fired the last pastor?
- is this about political reform or are they hinting at some other kind of change?

Like Corey said, this message could use some more heart.

I think as creatives, Jesus' call to be salt and light to the world should be taken especially serious. We're in a unique position to help the church share it's beautiful message of hope, love and redemption. I'm not sure we can do this by blending in with the pop-ideology of 2008 American politics.

Looking at this purely with a marketing stand point, it confuses me. The look, and even the prominent verbiage is about change in the social/political setting. But what they are talking about is completely different. So in that respect I think it misses the mark.

I do feel that this also lacks power. The marketing doesn't make you feel anything, it doesn't make you think. For me the church needs to make people feel something. That might be anger, love, peace, sorrow or hope, but it needs to be something. We have the best story to market, but instead we look for cheap versions of the world.

Now, I will be the first to admit I have done multiple series that poop on what I just said. But I think as Christian designers we need to strive for something more.

OK, the rant is over.