God Speaks
Don’t make me come down there. – God
That is still my favorite one of all the billboards from an award-winning ad campaign that appeared about 30 years ago. Over the past few weeks, as I’ve watch unbelievable absurdities and casual cruelties play out on both the domestic and international stages, that is the image and phrase that has flashed into my mind more than once watching the unnecessary spectacles play out.
“God Speaks” was the name of the campaign – and was the product of one anonymous person in Florida who went to an ad agency with $150,000 and asked them to create something that reminded people of their relationship with God, in a completely non-denominational way. It became a bit of a sensation – picked up nationally and winning a number of awards. Somehow, it cut through.
Have you read my #1 best seller? (There will be a test.) – God
It cut through the noise because of the simplicity. All the same - solid black, with plain white text quotes from a very “today” version of God. God the way he would speak to us as his children today.
The surprise of seeing God on a billboard, without calligraphy and airbrushed thunderbolts. Just. God. Maybe we need something that plain to cut through the noise today? No wondering if its AI or a bot…Just. God.
That ‘Love thy neighbor’ thing. I meant that. – God
I wonder if we put some up around Minneapolis, if it would make anyone think about the way they did their jobs? And maybe even – what it means to be a Christian? That seems to mean a lot of different things to different people today…kinda like if you put that tag behind an argument, it justifies anything…
Please tell the kids I Love Them. - God
Maybe there’s just one more billboard that I’d like to add to the series:
What part of ‘Treat foreigners living among you the same as your native-born’ did you not understand? – God
Anyone want to chip in on a billboard?
Thank you for the words you have given us to guide us, God. Help us to hear your voice in our everyday, reminding us that you are still speaking to us. Amen
Diana is a graphic design and advertising geek and remembers things like obscure ad campaigns from the 1990s. Kind of like normal people know Chiefs football stats.