Study shows UM ads deliver key messages

United Methodist News Service
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—“Open hearts, open minds, open doors” advertising is effectively communicating key characteristics of The United Methodist Church to the unchurched, new research indicates.
A telephone study by the Barna Research Group last fall assessed 10 statements about The United Methodist Church. Those statements reflected intended messages delivered by Igniting Ministry advertising.
The survey showed that those exposed to the advertising campaign were much more likely to hold favorable views of The United Methodist Church than those who did not recall the advertising.
More than 1,200 respondents from six test markets were interviewed. They were drawn from the target audience for Igniting Ministry ads—adults 21 to 60 who do not attend a United Methodist church and are searching for something spiritually.
Among the findings:
> 58 percent of respondents agreed that United Methodists care for and support each other, compared to 43 percent surveyed in 2002.
> 57 percent believed United Methodists accept you for who you are, up from 45 percent in 2002.
> 41 percent said United Methodists help you find deeper meaning and purpose in life, compared to only 26 percent in 2002.
> 51 percent said United Methodists help people facing personal difficulty, up from 38 percent in 2002.
“One of the challenges that denominations typically face is that people don’t really know that much about them,” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of the General Commission on Communication. “The survey data give us a snapshot of how others see us, and the indication is that the campaign has helped to reframe people’s indistinct perceptions about the church into something more positive.”
The Igniting Ministry campaign started in 2001 with a threefold purpose:
> To increase awareness and recognition of The United Methodist Church’s basic beliefs.
> To promote willingness to visit a United Methodist church.
> To renew a sense of commitment among United Methodists.
Independent research is conducted annually to determine if the campaign is reaching those goals.
Other highlights of the 2007 research include:
> 42 percent of respondents said their impression of The United Methodist Church was very or somewhat favorable, up from 37 percent in 2006.
> 54 percent of those surveyed expressed a willingness to visit a United Methodist Church, up from 47 percent in 2006.
> 59 percent of respondents recalled the tagline “Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.”