Why it matters: Graphics and logos

I would wear this... if I lost a bet

I am blessed to get to interact with and design for a wide variety of churches on a regular basis. When it comes to graphics, I can pretty divide them into two categories: Churches who know what's hot and what people relate to and churches who knew what was hot 10 years ago and think people still relate to it. The earlier group is a breeze to work for; they're hip, they know what they want, and they don't mind being adventurous. The latter group however, is always very challenging. There is usually a lot of resistance and these are the reasons I've found:

1. Entrenchment: There is usually and individual or group that has 'always' done the graphics and they are usually a sweet, well-meaning person with good skills but zero creativity. If that person is blissfully stuck in 1995 serif fonts with embossing and drop shadows, it can be very hard to move forward visually because nobody wants to risk offending somebody that's been there serving for a long time.

2. Change is Scary: Nobody realizes how much changing their logo(s) scares them until the process starts moving. Suddenly they have to deal with people asking why; signs have to be redone; other logos and graphics have to be upgraded for continuity, and in general, people resist change because we crave sameness even when it leads to lameness.

3. That looks like "Youth Group" stuff: NEWS FLASH- we are a youth driven culture. If you look at fashion, music, movies, it all is geared towards youth culture because for he first time in history middle-aged folks take cues for what is cool from people under 30. If you appeal to that crown visually, than you automatically will appeal to most people under 65 as well. If you really want a shakedown on the visual appeal of your church; ask a blunt 23 year old.

OK, so why doesn't any of this matter to you church? Well, what are here to do? Reach people for Christ- right? The idea behind having any graphics, video, lighting, drama, etc is to create a relevant and relatable environment for people to come learn about Jesus so they can become full, devoted followers. Of course all of this is just a minor precursor to the Gospel, but my argument is that if you're going to do it- do it well! Do it with excellence! Don't make graphics that appeal only to you but that will appeal to the culture to be inviting and comfortable for people who don't know Christ.

Don't underestimate the power of good graphics in your church. Find a good, visual, creative person- don't just settle. I promise you it makes a huge difference!

It's the difference between this:

AND WHAT EVER THIS STUFF IS:

I lack the words to describe how antiquated these logos are









I know I seem picky and critical and it's true that many people don't even notice these things but
most of the younger demographic does, especially if what your using is lame or overly churchy. So just try and look at your own church's graphics from a fresh perspective- ask people. Don't allow things like this to become sacred cows. Change can be a great thing if it's done intentionally and for good reason!

:)

I'm Sorry, Did I Offend You?

Very recently I made the choice to start a blog (which you are reading!) I didn't know if anyone would ever read it, but it sounded like a fun way to pass the time. Shortly after I started, I began my 'Marketing Fails of the Day' which are geared to improve the quality and relevancy of Church media. The blog's popularity began to rise rapidly as did my understanding of humanity. I have been blessed to receive a lot of feedback over these pieces, some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly. This last week as I was being chastised for my colorful, yet generationally appropriate language, I began to wonder.....

Why are we (Christians) so very sensitive? I mean seemingly so much more sensitive than the rest of the world?

Emily's long overdue, all-inclusive list of church resources (mostly FREE!)

         I am forever getting emails asking me for my resources on art and media. Mostly it's churches and people I know that work for churches. After a couple of years of doing this, I thought to myself "Duh, do a post about".
         So, here it is. Emily's long overdue, all-inclusive list of resources. I created/recycled a TON of media over the years and 80% of it started with these amazing sites.

Got me feeling so fly like Jesus

Bwahahahaha- I think this spoof is hilarious! If you've never heard "Like a G6" this might not make as much sense to you, but if you have, you'll like it too- promise :)

Marketing Fail of the Day

(This is in my purse right next to my Miracle Healing Water)

Love Never Fails

"Love Never Fails"- I love that phrase. I love saying it. I love singing it. Most of all I love the implications of it. For those who don't know the phrase originates from 1 Corinthians 13- also known as the love chapter. The most well know portion is in verses 4-8:
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  ⁸ Love never fails. 

You've probably heard parts of it read at weddings or etched on to photo frames. Most people associate it with the way love should look in a marriage. All of that is well and good but it goes way beyond that.

The Perfect Mom....

I've wanted kids for as long as I can remember. Most of my friends went through a phase in their teens or twenties when they were totally turned off to the idea of having kids, but I never did. Even as a teen I fantasized about being a mom. So, it's no surprise to me that I'm 28 and already have two kids.

My first was Elise (2/25/05). I was so excited to become a first-time mom, but as much as I love my daughter I found motherhood to be a difficult venture for a girl in her early 20's.

Oh S***! It's Jesus!

I saw this book on MPT's blog. I have to say that much like the rest of my generation, I'm pretty jaded when it comes to language. However, this took me back. At first, I thought it was a spoof or something(which somehow made it seem ok), but no, it's a real, Christian book. You can find it here on Amazon.

So far it has pretty good reviews so I kinda want to read it to see if it lives up to it's initial shock value. Not to mention it seems like a great thought at least from the initial description.

So what's your reaction? Does it bother you or kinda make you like it more?

BTW don't send me hate mail- it's not my book!

How to Not Fail at Church Marketing 102

Over the next few weeks and months, I would like to explore why it is that churches and Christian organizations struggle so much in the areas of marketing and cultural relevance. I know the reason vary a lot, so I'll just cover a few. To start with let's examine the pitfall of PERCEPTION.

If you chat with people who are responsible for a marketing fail, you will find they have no idea. They don't think it's irrelevant or poorly designed, and they can't see why I think that way. I have to admit at first I thought these people were just complete morons, but now I realize that is not the case. The problem is perception.

These people either have no idea who their audience is and/or they have no idea what is appealing to them. The worst is those who fail to realize that there is an audience outside the 'Christian Bubble' and those are the people who need to be appealed to the most. How can you avoid this pitfall?

How to Not Fail at Church Marketing 101

For months now I have been posting the numerous marketing failure that exist in this world of Church Media. People think it's funny, and yeah, it can be. However, it really is an issue to take note of. As the culture we live in becomes more visual and people become more technological, this gap continues to widen. It makes the Church appear less and less relevant when really we should be on the bleeding edge of our culture. We shouldn't copy TV shows, corporate logos, or MTV. As Christian author and screenwriter, Craig Detweiler so aptly explained in an interview with ABC News:

"If you are truly connected to the creator of the universe you should be the most creative and risk-taking people on the planet," he said. "You would be coming up with new ideas and new visions all the time. That's our heritage and hopefully we'll get back to it. "For hundreds of years, Christians were the patrons of the arts," he added. "You have the renaissance that resulted. ... You had Michelangelo and Leonardo DaVinci paid by the church to make masterpieces. And now we we're reduced to pale imitation of the worst elements of pop culture. I rather have us lead a renaissance in the arts instead of imitate those who have gone before us."

Marketing Fail of the Day

(Bumper stickers King James style- I want one that says, "Thou art a douche")

UPDATE: I posted this in 2009 and got an incredible amount of flack for it. Somehow it's ok for me to say other less pretty words but the moment I jokingly call someone a douche people start chasing me with pitchforks. For the record- I still think this is funny......... I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time :-P

Bubble People

Do you or someone you know live inside the ‘Christian Bubble’. I borrowed that term from a book I read once called ‘They Like Jesus but Not the Church’ by Dan Kimball. It’s a term that describes the ‘inner circle’ type of mentality that many of us have. So many believers throughout history have fallen into this bubble mentality without even thinking twice. It pains me to think about how many people I can think of that I know and love who spend their days shielding themselves from the world instead of bringing light to it. These people love Jesus, and they know all about the Bible and they pray like crazy- many of these people are viewed as being really good Christians people, but they are missing the point! I love it when these people say “Well, we’re supposed to be in the world, not of it” I nearly bust out laughing every time one of the ‘bubble people’ say this to me. I mean, really? You think that justifies legalism? Being judgmental? You think God’s cool with the fact that you don’t have any friendships with non-Christians because of that? Do you think that being ‘in the world’ is only a reference to the fact that you live on the planet earth? Do you really think that living a super conservative lifestyle means you’re not ‘of the world’? I mean the list of questions goes on. This is why it’s so dangerous to base your lifestyle on just one verse in the bible.

Cultural Relevance begins at the Cross

Relevance is such a buzzword in churches right now. We all say that we are and we take a great deal of time ensuring the cultural relevance of our services. I’m a huge fan of what I call ‘intentional relevance’ in churches. I believe that intentional relevance can be a very powerful tool to create an environment that is optimum for reaching the unreached. It’s really just a term I use to encompass how we use various elements like drama, music, lights, sound, visual art, etc. to get the message across on any given Sunday.

I was on a walk not long ago doing some brainstorming. As I strolled around, I passed a church in my neighborhood. I’ve passed it a million times, but this time it really caught my attention. The sun wasn’t quite up and this church has a glowing cross lit on the top of it. I just stopped and stared. This cross that I had seen before suddenly was so mesmerizing. I felt God say; “This is relevant above all other things” It just really spoke to me as a creative in the church.

humanity to divinity

The other day I was commenting on a blog over at Revolution115 and I said: "God takes our ordinary humanity and infuses it with His extraordinary divinity". It was one of those statements that made me pause and think. I have to give credit to God for it, because I really am not smart enough to say something that profound on my own. It stuck in my head and as I began to chew on it, I decided I should try to expound on it.

Think about all the people you know from the Bible, even if you don't know their whole story or even their whole name. I would bet you that person was really nobody special at first. Look at people like Moses, David, Paul, Mary, or any of the Apostles. All regular people. Some of them were even considered evil by our standards. So, why do we remember them? The simple answer is that we remember them because of what God did with/through them, not really for any reasons that have to do with the person.

Marketing Fail of the Day

(really, what is the point of this. If you have one of these, don't tell me, because I will never stop mocking you. I think even Jesus would have an issue with this thing)

One is the Loneliest Number

This was hard for me to write. I like to observe and discuss things that happen around me, but I'm not a big fan of discussing my own problems. I just felt really strongly when I woke up this morning that some of you out there may be wrestling with this issue of loneliness. I'm not really writing this to say "woes me, I'm so lonely", but instead I feel compelled to write it for those of you out there in the same boat. As I work through this, maybe it'll help you work through it and know that you're not alone in feeling how you feel.

I've never really been one of those people who has a ton of friends. I don't have 60 people who call me when I'm down. I don't really ever go out with people other than my husband. I have very few people who really know me on a personal level. Is that by choice? No, not really. It just is. It's been like that for many years, but I never really thought much about. As I get a little older, I'm beginning to think more about my connections with others.

Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner AND a GIVEAWAY!

Hear no evil is a great book. I have to say as someone who has traveled through the colorful and sometimes disturbing world of the Christian subculture, this book brought back memories. Matthew Paul Turner talks about his life as it relates to music and his faith.

It begins with some funny history of growing up in a fundamental Baptist church where hymns are the standard and George Michael was forbidden. Then he talks about his adulthood, working for CCM and exploring the darkest parts of the Christian music industry.

This book will make you think and make you cringe at the same time. It's an honest look at the Church's sometimes failing relationship with music and how it affects us all. It paints a candid picture of how dangerous it can be to live exclusively in the Christian music subculture.

I love the journey that he portrays. It's honest and full of hope. If you were raised by parents who didn't let you listen to Nirvana or watch Mtv, read this book. If you don't watch anything but TBN or listen to anyone but Gloria Gaither, read this book. If you're just an in between Christian (I fall here)- read this book. It's really a great and quick read.

AND on that note I'd like to announce a GIVEAWAY! Just tweet a link to this article before monday to enter or if you're lazy you can copy and paste: RT @happyemjo Hear No Evil by @JesusNeedsNewPR review and FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY! www.upwardcreativity.blogspot.com

Marketing Fail of the Day

This is what happens when you teach Grandma how to use publisher....... not a good idea!
I'll say it once more: If you have to use clip art, you should NOT be making it.

Marketing Fail of the Day

Yes He does, but I don't think He planned on having one of the Knights who say Ni tell me about it. What's next? Peng? Neee-Wom? Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing Zow Zing?
(if you don't know British comedy this fail makes no sense to you, sorry)

Marketing Fail of the Day

Jesus will make your boo-boo's all better..... seriously though, what is our obsession with putting Jesus's face on everything from band-aids to frying pans?