March 28, 2013
Perhaps part of it is timing. After all, March has been packed with various religious events—from holidays observed by several different faiths to the selection of a new Pope, which garnered attention from Catholics and non-Catholics alike all over the world. As it is, Pope Francis already has over 2 million followers on Twitter, and millions more used social media to discuss the Papal Conclave.
Another factor could be the series’ creators—Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey. Mark is best known for producing shows like The Voice, Survivor, and Shark Tank…not really shows you would associate with any sort of faith-related message. Nevertheless, he and his wife came up with the idea to tell the story of The Bible in a relatable way. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Burnett explained the power that the Bible has in western culture, not only for Christians. He cited the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and even the modern practices of government, as they are influenced by The Bible. “Even if you don’t read The Bible,” he said, “it touches you every day.” Roma and Mark hope the show will open up a dialogue about the Bible in a way that people are not usually comfortable discussing.
So maybe it is the timing or just the fact that 83% of adults in the United States identify with some sort of religion. No matter the reason for its reign in the ratings, the success of this show is a testament to the fact that faith plays an important role in people’s lives. This is a fact marketers must accept and embrace as they build their strategies to reach their consumer. The core value of faith, combined with other important values consumers share such as a connection to their communities and deep commitment to their families, are very prevalent in the country as a whole, but especially in the New Heartland. Core values are key drivers in buying behavior and often overlooked by marketers.
Regardless of your personal faith, don’t fall into the trap of dismissing the faith of this nation and the role it plays in successful brand-consumer relationships.