While valuable, used without proper understanding and reserve, marketing strategies such as focus groups, satisfaction surveys, exploratory interviews, town-hall meetings, and channel market segmentation, have the dangerous potential of radically altering the shape and character of the Church, redefining its character and mission in terms of negotiated exchanges between purveyors and consumers. The practice of such unbridled marketing methods has, consequently, generated a deleterious mindset of obligation among church members. Sadly, believing that all secular marketing strategies are neutral forces that can equally be used to shape the form of religious communications while leaving the core mission values alone, the “Mad Men” styled approach has actually traded the core Gospel messages of sacrifice and self-denial for those of immediate gratification and merited prosperity. As a result, many now expect religious celebrations, ministries, and blessings to be exchanged according to fair-market value and reciprocity.
One of the objectives of many churches is to attract people who do not participate in the life of a church. According to Barna Group Research data (2011) 28% of the adult population has not attended any church activities, including worship services, in the past six months. That translates to nearly 65 million adults. When their children under the age of 18 who live with them are added to the picture, the number swells to more than 100 million people! Are Church “Mad Men” needed to reverse this unfortunate trend? I think not. What is truly required is the valuable cultivation of “Holy Heralds,” men and women capable of the honest messaging of forgiveness, and the effective provisioning of the transformative, relation-focused, spiritual services that the Church has been exhorted to freely provide.
According to Merriam and Webster, a herald is an official messenger with ambassadorial capacity. Ancient Heralds were, fundamentally, designated couriers formerly charged with conveying royal proclamations and important messages. In medieval Europe the term “heraldry” was coined to further delineate any communication system that used military and governmental implements, colors, and symbols for the purpose of certified messaging. Ecclesiastical heraldry subsequently emerged as the official structure for classifying documents, identifying dioceses, recognizing ecclesial rank, and for all authoritative Church communications. Although Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox churches, schools, seminaries, and other institutions, continue to retain a semblance of such a system, ecclesial heraldry is most formalized within the Catholic Church.
Contemporary churches and institutions would do well to seriously consider adopting a hybrid of ecclesiastical heraldry and the “4 P’s” of the traditional marketing mix (Product, Place, Promotion, and Price) to advance their evangelical requirements. As Church Heraldry has never been characterized by political or military heraldic considerations alone, but by doctrinal, liturgical, canonical, and missionary factors, it provides a more suitable framework for effectively promoting the distinctive mission, vision and message of Christian institutions. By wisely utilizing its strategies, contemporary Church leaders would avoid the pitfalls that are often associated with deceptive branding and unscrupulous commoditization of religion.
At the close of Season Two’s Episode Eight, viewers of “Mad Men” were offered a montage of characters stripping off the “branding” of their public – marketed – personas. Sterling Cooper’s office manager, Joan Holloway, removes her scintillating business attire. Eerily reminiscent of a baptismal sin washing, a teary-eyed Peggy is shown soaking in her bathtub. Finally, while the story’s credits scroll across the screen, Father Gill lights a cigarette (reminiscent of Father Guido Sardouchi), removes his priestly vestments, and begins strumming his guitar to the singing of “Early in the Morning” (Peter, Paul and Mary).
Unlike “A Night to Remember” whose illusory ending can easily be interpreted as Madison Avenue’s inability to alter reality with even the most magical of marketing garb, the Church is steward to the greatest non-fictional Story ever told. Christian leaders must learn to communicate this Narrative with effective honesty – not as “Mad Men” – but as “Holy Heralds.” In so doing, they will lovingly reach the minds and hearts of the people who need to hear this Story the most but, for one reason or another, are often alone and at a distance, stripped of their authentic God-given image and likeness, thirsting for meaning at their respective Well of Jacob.
In the end, the marketing of Christianity happens whether we intend it or not! As such, the Church can no longer linger on the sidelines, nor madly race to clothe Herself with the garments of unexamined communications. Christian leaders should first prudently determine the degree to which they are willing to engage the varied methods of marketing, prior to doing so as one thing is certain – unintentional marketing is usually bad marketing by default.
~The Sounding, Orthodox Christian Network (OCN), http://myocn.net/marketing-the-church-part-i-mad-men-or-holy-heralds/. The Reverend Dr. Frank Marangos is CEO and Founder of OINOS.
