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March, 2004
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The United Church of Christ is launching a new advertising campaign, and we’re a part of testing how people react to it! The Western Area’s Springfield-Holyoke market area has been targeted for testing, along with six others throughout the U.S. The advertisement will be broadcast on network television from March 1 to Easter Sunday, April 11.
The purpose of this public witness is to proclaim United Church of Christ identity and “‘share the secret’ of the United Church of Christ – about who we are and what we believe,” according to Ron Buford, Public Relations and Marketing Manager of the national UCC.
This marketing test will indicate how well the ad brings new and existing members into the churches in the seven market areas, which comprise some 300 churches with over 100,000 members collectively. Our Massachusetts test will be a cooperative venture between the national setting, the western Associations, and the Conference.
The six other test markets are Cleveland-Akron, OH; Harrisburg vicinity, PA; Oklahoma City, OK; Palm Springs, CA; Raleigh-Durham, NC; and Tampa-St. Pete, FL.
The campaign, coordinated by Buford, has designed the ad to appeal to seekers. It is being tested on network television because that is cost effective for a regional test like this one, Buford explained, but when the denomination does a full-blown national campaign it will be cheaper to run the commercials on cable. [You can see the ad at: www.ucc.org/ucnews/mar04/welcome.htm.]
The advertisement was produced and provided “at cost” by the marketing firm Gotham, Inc.
Buford said of the evolution of the ad campaign, “...about two years ago we began an experiment in proclaiming our identity through the use of the phrase, ‘God is still speaking.’ This identity emphasis has literally swept across our church.” After the six-week test run, “we will evaluate the campaign’s effectiveness and build a national strategy. Funding permitting, we will launch these ads nationally during Advent 2004,” he said.
Two representatives from the Conference, Audrey Walker, pastor of Easthampton Congregational Church, and Robert Gormbley, pastor of First Congregational Church UCC, East Longmeadow, attended a training session in Cleveland February 6-7 to become local resource contacts.
Many churches in the market areas planned a kickoff event for Sunday, Feb. 29, the day before the commercial first aired. What is learned from this test marketing will inform the whole church about the campaign’s effectiveness, Buford noted. “In the short run, the increased awareness will prepare people to be more receptive to the warm invitation, intentional hospitality and welcome” as UCC congregations reach out