United Methodist Communications
Office of Public Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2019
Nashville, Tennessee – The United Methodist Church has launched the “Not the Only One” advertising campaign to help offer encouragement through community.
Research continues to emphasize people are experiencing a growing sense of loneliness. In fact, nearly half of Americans feel alone or left out, and it’s taking a mental and physical toll on them.
“The advertisements target those who identify themselves as spiritual, socially conscious and seeking meaning in their lives, but who are not affiliated with a church. Our surveys show that they are craving meaningful relationships,” shares Poonam Patodia—chief marketing officer for United Methodist Communications, the church agency responsible for marketing of the denomination. “We invite them to find love, joy and peace by joining a welcoming community.”
The new ads encourage people to visit a local United Methodist church and share their faith journey with others. They celebrate diversity and promote reaching out to others. They acknowledge that true friendship and love aren’t always easy to find.
The message in the ads is that The United Methodist Church doesn’t have all of the answers. Rather, our belief is that hope and answers can be found when seeking God together. For example, one ad reads: “Life isn’t perfect. You’re not the only one, who feels like the only one. But the people of The United Methodist Church believe that when we open ourselves to God’s love, we can find peace, faith and joy. Let’s find peace together.”
“We have utilized research to identify current issues on which the church is uniquely positioned to meet people’s needs. We felt it was important to focus on the epidemic of loneliness that exists and point people to the strong community that the church provides,” notes Jennifer Rodia – chief communications officer for United Methodist Communications.
“The seeker campaign is an integral part of marketing as it helps those seeking a church community to know that The United Methodist Church is here for them,” adds Patodia. “It also reinforces the church's mission to current members and highlights the importance of their role in sharing the gospel and building disciples.”
The first video ad is available for viewing and sharing on YouTube.
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About United Methodist Communications
As the communications agency for The United Methodist Church, United Methodist Communications seeks to increase awareness and visibility of the denomination in communities and nations around the globe. United Methodist Communications also offers services, tools, products and resources for communications ministry. Find them online at umcom.org.
Media contact:
Brenda Smotherman
bsmotherman@umcom.org
615.742.5288 (office)
