Come Near, the agency behind the “He Gets Us” campaign, returns to the Super Bowl with a new video that will air nationally, Sunday, Feb. 8. (Credit: Close)
The agency behind the previous viral and controversial Super Bowl ad is returning to the big game with a new location and a common mission: “to invite all people one step closer to the real Jesus no matter where they are.”
Come Near, the organization behind the “He Gets Us” campaign, will air a new ad during Sunday’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.
The video, titled “Is there more to life than most?” and directed by filmmaker Salomon Ligthelm, “invites people to rethink what Jesus says about social pressure, doubt, and fulfillment,” according to a release shared with FOX Business.
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Simon Armour, Come Near’s chief artistic officer, says the group emphasizes a “neighbourhood-led” approach, which inspired the project’s themes.
“One thing that has been coming up is the feeling that people are making a lot of noise in their lives and finding peace. [amongst] that noise, which seems to be very difficult for them,” Armor told FOX Business.
After extensive research, Come Near designed the “Loaded Words” campaign, which looks for cultural words that “have promise in them,” Armor said.
Come Near, the agency behind the “He Gets Us” campaign, will air a new video during the Super Bowl on Sunday. (approach)
The site includes various images of people scrolling through social media, a child sitting with a pile of toys, students in a classroom using what appear to be virtual headsets, and a plastic surgeon examining a person’s face.
The shots are inserted in rapid succession, until the final shot of the ad, which features a woman in the desert who appears to be looking up at the sky.
“There’s more to life than that,” concludes the on-screen text.
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Armor said the site considers the “stupidity” of chasing material things like money, but also things like influence and recognition. He said the video tries to “hold a mirror.”
“Certainly, our hope in this area is that [viewers] they feel seen and heard, that it’s a reflection of where they are and what they’re doing,” said Armor. “Jesus never leaves us in the place he finds us. He gives something more than that.”
The ad will air nationally during the second half of the game, according to the release. The group uses what Armor described as a “tent pole strategy.”
Simon Armor, Chief Creative Officer of Come Near, said the site focuses on the “evil” of chasing material things. (Approach / Unknown)
“We’re looking at cultural moments where people really come together … the Super Bowl represents one of those moments where people really come together,” Armor said. “I think [it is] It’s a good opportunity for us to invite people to consider Jesus’ point of view about the things that our neighbors tell us they have problems with in their lives.”
Come Near had an ad that ran during the 2024 Super Bowl, which was met with social media backlash from the right and the left.
In response, Armor said that Come Near’s previous work was “noted for commenting on culture,” but this year, the group wants to “turn that mindset inside out.”
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“I think there’s been a natural evolution of the work,” he said. “After four years, the campaigns come naturally to stay fresh and still attract people’s attention … We didn’t go to that place to be personal and, because we thought it was a good idea, it’s actually based on what our neighbor told us.”
Come Near has two more commercials that will air in various regional markets, including Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, Denver, Wichita, Kansas, Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
Armor says he hopes the video will help people “take a step” toward Jesus. (Approach / Unknown)
The “He Gets Us” campaign “invites all people to think about Jesus and why he matters,” which began in 2021.
The campaign has “brought Jesus into places and into major cultural conversations,” according to its website, and videos on its YouTube channel have amassed 10 million views, a spokesperson said.
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Armor said he hopes the latest video will help people “take a step” toward Jesus.
“We really judge success based on the pursuit of our goal,” he said. “There are many ways that we measure that idea of one step … our hope is really that whatever it looks like for them, that they take a step towards Jesus.”
