He Gets Us — The Rebrand of Jesus
A series of stark, black-and-white photos show unlikely pairs washing each other's feet. A cop and a young black man. A pro-choice advocate and a right-to-life protestor. An oil exec and a climate activist. No product. No logo until the very end. Just a simple, confounding message: "Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet."
Fig. 01 — Annotated creative
Running during Super Bowl LVIII, this campaign is the multi-million dollar culmination of a years-long effort to rebrand Jesus for a skeptical generation. Funded by anonymous donors (including the family behind Hobby Lobby), "He Gets Us" aims to separate the figure of Jesus from the institution of Christianity, which many see as divisive and political.
The core insight here is potent: Gen Z and Millennials aren't necessarily anti-faith, they're anti-hypocrisy. They see a chasm between the teachings of Jesus—love, compassion, caring for the poor—and the actions of many of his most vocal followers. The campaign doesn't try to sell salvation; it tries to sell empathy, framing Jesus not as a deity, but as a relatable radical who challenged the status quo.
The creative execution is a masterclass in "show, don't tell." Using high-contrast, documentary-style photography strips the message of any corporate gloss. It feels like art, not advertising. This isn't a slick sermon; it's a raw, emotional appeal that forces the viewer to confront their own biases. The choice of foot-washing is a deep cut, a specific biblical reference (John 13:1-17) that symbolizes humility and service, repurposed to speak to modern-day cultural divides.
The media strategy is brute force. You don't spend $20M on the Super Bowl for targeted reach; you do it to hijack the national conversation. It’s a massive bet that awareness alone can begin to shift perceptions, forcing their message into a forum where it will be seen and debated by millions who would never step foot in a church.
The risk is monumental. By trying to appeal to the middle, the campaign invites scorn from all sides. To many progressives, it's an astroturfed, "art-washed" campaign for a conservative agenda, given its funding. To many theological conservatives, it's a weak, "woke" portrayal of Jesus that conveniently ignores sin and repentance. It's a strategic tightrope walk over a canyon of cultural third rails.