“He Washed Feet”: Christian Super Bowl Ads Stepped Right Into A Holy Mess Of Memes
A couple of controversial multimillion-dollar Christian advertisement campaigns featuring foot-washing scenes faced a holy mess during the 2024 Super Bowl, officially known as the Super Bowl LVIII.
Foot washing is a symbolic act often associated with humility, service, and purification in various religious traditions, particularly Christianity. But the complex biblical reference may have gone right over some National Football League (NFL) supporters’ heads.
Appearing on Sunday night, February 11, 2024, from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, two ads from a religious campaign entitled He Gets Us left critics “toe-tally” conflicted.
Christian ads showcased during the 2024 Super Bowl and featuring foot washing stirred controversy
Image credits: He Gets Us
Image credits: He Gets Us
He Gets Us is an American religious advertising campaign that was first launched in 2022.
According to Jacobin, the campaign’s stated goal is to “reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible.”
One of the campaign’s backers is billionaire David Green, the founder of retail company Hobby Lobby. According to The Washington Post, $100 million was initially spent on the campaign.
The ad first faced criticism for its donors’ conflicting values, including funding anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ organizations, leading to debates over its political stance and biblical integrity.
He Gets Us campaign is run by religious non-profits and aims to reintroduce Jesus
Image credits: He Gets Us
Image credits: He Gets Us
This time around, He Gets Us made a return to the big game with two new spots, including one featuring people washing feet, HuffPost reported.
The first of the two ads, a 60-second spot titled Foot Washing, aired during the game’s first quarter, while the second, a shorter 15-second ad titled Who is My Neighbor?, was scheduled for the fourth quarter, as per VT.
“Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet. He gets us. All of us,” the first ad read after showcasing images of people washing feet.
Foot washing is a symbolic act often associated with humility, service, and purification in various religious traditions, particularly Christianity
Image credits: He Gets Us
Image credits: He Gets Us
The images included a police officer washing a man’s feet, a woman, seemingly part of an anti-abortion protest, washing a girl’s feet outside of a family-planning clinic, and a woman washing another woman’s feet as protesters surround them, as per HuffPost.
The main purpose of family-planning services is to encourage parents to make responsible decisions about pregnancy that take the best interests of the family into account, Britannica notes.
In contrast to last year’s ads, the new He Gets Us commercials burst with vibrant colors and employed a still-life aesthetic reminiscent of timeless gallery portraits.
The first of the two ads, titled Foot Washing, aired during the game’s first quarter, and the second was titled Who is My Neighbor?
Image credits: He Gets Us
Image credits: He Gets Us
Both ads, part of the same campaign run by a newly formed nonprofit called Come Near, are estimated to cost $17.5 million, according to AdWeek.
Jon Lee, brand leadership principal at Lerma, the creator of the campaign, told AdWeek: “In this year where we have an epidemic of loneliness and very divisive culture, we wanted everyone to see themselves in these ads.
You can watch the He Gets Us ads below:
Image credits: He Gets Us
Image credits: StOlafStories
In today’s nonchalant era, folks predictably turned the ads into memes
Image credits: AuralSurgin
Image credits: memetazaa
“We wanted to find a way to relate with different social tensions in this moment and imagine a world where people who might not see eye to eye serve one another, love one another, and wash each other’s feet.”
Nevertheless, because we live in an era where nobody takes anything seriously anymore, naturally, people took to social media to poke fun at the controversial toe-curling campaign.
The campaign further sparked various reactions
The ironic thing is that Jesus had such a devoted following because he went up to people, interacted with them and cared for them. Not spending 1 million drachma on a huge billboard in the middle of Jerusalem.
“A police officer washing a man’s feet” is a weird image in a country where a cop recently responded to a 911 call by shooting the young black child who made that 911 call.
Not if he's using bleach to remove evidence?
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Well, WHO ELSE could be a savior? A refugee from the Middle East who preaches SOCIALISM in the form of free food and health care?!?! :P
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Jesus washed a prostitute's feet. The ad is saying that the holy people should be washing the feet of sinners, such as prostitutes, rather than hating on them. The ad is great for calling out hate, but part of the problem, which the ad doesn't address, is that these people are being considered sinners in the first place.
Exactly. This god-virus is bringing this country down, little by little. This ad makes me vomit. Like washing feet is some type of divine act, which is ridiculous. Use the ad money for some good works and I'd be impressed. NOT impressed by this ad or religion in general.
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So what do you think guys, feed 45 million people or run this 30 second commercial? Hmmm...WWJD?
Look guys, I know that people are starving and suffering right now. But look at this ad. Isn't it cool? Praise jeebus.
More wasteful spending that could have gone to the needy, and just another example of "preaching to the choir"
If a church can afford 17.5 million for a commercial they can afford to pay taxes...truly supports the communities they are in.
The fact that people have to be convinced not to hate because some possibly existing guy who started a religious move didn’t hate is frankly rather sad. Do people really need convincing via some imaginary figure that supposed to be like us but still better than us? just be a nice human being just because, not because ‘Jesus was’ …
Perhaps I am cynical, but if the spent millions on the ad, they must expect to increase their revenue by recruiting people to church. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent the money.
They want to save ALL people... but some of us don't need to be "saved" by their god. They do believe the money is well-spent and they will probably get some converts from that ad. But the ad is so offensive, I don't even know where to start.
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This advertisement was so smarmy and manipulative. The group behind this campaign is renown for their hatred of the LGBTQIA+ community and have given millions to other groups that support anti LGBTQIA+ legislation. I find it ironic how hyper conservative Evangelicals and fundamentalists try to make Jesus “hip and cool” to gain younger followers, when they are some of the biggest hypocrites ever and funneling hundred of thousands of dollars into groups that think queer people shouldn’t exist. No, their “hip” Jesus isn’t for everyone. Their version of Jesus just for white, cisgender, heterosexual hyper-conservatives who have to feel oppressed.
Actually you are correct. The group behind this campaign had been linked to the Freedom Alliance which is a hyper conservative, fundamentalist group that believes women don’t have the right to choose and that queer people should not exist and need to be “saved” (ie- conversion therapy). I shared some links in one of my comments above. It’s actually pretty disturbing.
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Is this an ad for already religious people telling them to accept others? Because that would be great. Still a waste of a lot of money. But a great cause.
Americans have a problem with religion. They way that something essentially private sweeps into every aspect of the public life isn't healthy. And don't come at me with "not mine".
I wholeheartedly agree. After I moved here from the UK for my job (I have family in the U.S., UK, and Demarco), I remember just being so weirded out by the amount of Christian music and advertising on the radio. Some people here make religion and their politic party their entire identity which leads to a terrifying thing called nationalism.
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As an atheist I think every dang church big or small owes back taxes.
Non-Christians have no idea about the foot washing story in the Christian Bible. And it's so anachronistic for today's world that it just comes off as creepy. No one walks around barefoot in the US and needs their feet washed by anyone. Weird AF.
Remember, non-Christians can read and the foot-washing story is in a lot of religious books. For example, Islam and Sikhism have ritual acts of foot-washing as well. It's not just a Christian thing. And yes, it is creepy and weird AF, I agree.
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I may get downvoted, but for a religious advertisement, this was actually a really good commercial. Often, I feel that people who are clouded by bigotry misrepresent Christianity, and this commercial is trying to spread a positive message about acceptance of all people, which is very important in this world. And while washing feet is kind of awkward, it is a religious symbol.
Ok, but to me, it still says "these people still need to be forgiven for their sins". To me, a Christian, do not believe any of the implied reasons for having their feet washed were sins in the first place.
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I am not a Christian and I think this video is a powerful statement - to show people washing the feet of those they have traditionally wronged/hated/judged is a beautiful message reminding us to try harder to see the humanity in everyone we interact with.
Unfortunately, the group behind this campaign is linked to the Freedom Alliance, a hyper conservative group that believes that women should not have the right to choose and that queer people need to be “saved”. Not really nice message of tolerance and acceptance. There are numerous articles online from the BBC, NPR, and other verified news sources that mention this.
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I really liked the idea and the images, I just wish this was a photography series and not a big wasteful super bowl ad
I really wish there was a competitive company in my area. I really miss going to that losers store. :(
I like how there was a literal ad for scientology, but we only care but this Jesus ad.
I'm not hateful. I'm wrathful. And slothful. And lustful. And gluttonous. And envious. And greedy. And prideful. I'm a sinner, and Jesus died for them, so don't hate me.
Yeah, people need to take care of their foot hygiene.
Load More Replies...
The ironic thing is that Jesus had such a devoted following because he went up to people, interacted with them and cared for them. Not spending 1 million drachma on a huge billboard in the middle of Jerusalem.
“A police officer washing a man’s feet” is a weird image in a country where a cop recently responded to a 911 call by shooting the young black child who made that 911 call.
Not if he's using bleach to remove evidence?
Load More Replies... Well, WHO ELSE could be a savior? A refugee from the Middle East who preaches SOCIALISM in the form of free food and health care?!?! :P
Load More Replies... Jesus washed a prostitute's feet. The ad is saying that the holy people should be washing the feet of sinners, such as prostitutes, rather than hating on them. The ad is great for calling out hate, but part of the problem, which the ad doesn't address, is that these people are being considered sinners in the first place.
Exactly. This god-virus is bringing this country down, little by little. This ad makes me vomit. Like washing feet is some type of divine act, which is ridiculous. Use the ad money for some good works and I'd be impressed. NOT impressed by this ad or religion in general.
Load More Replies... So what do you think guys, feed 45 million people or run this 30 second commercial? Hmmm...WWJD?
Look guys, I know that people are starving and suffering right now. But look at this ad. Isn't it cool? Praise jeebus.
More wasteful spending that could have gone to the needy, and just another example of "preaching to the choir"
If a church can afford 17.5 million for a commercial they can afford to pay taxes...truly supports the communities they are in.
The fact that people have to be convinced not to hate because some possibly existing guy who started a religious move didn’t hate is frankly rather sad. Do people really need convincing via some imaginary figure that supposed to be like us but still better than us? just be a nice human being just because, not because ‘Jesus was’ …
Perhaps I am cynical, but if the spent millions on the ad, they must expect to increase their revenue by recruiting people to church. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent the money.
They want to save ALL people... but some of us don't need to be "saved" by their god. They do believe the money is well-spent and they will probably get some converts from that ad. But the ad is so offensive, I don't even know where to start.
Load More Replies... This advertisement was so smarmy and manipulative. The group behind this campaign is renown for their hatred of the LGBTQIA+ community and have given millions to other groups that support anti LGBTQIA+ legislation. I find it ironic how hyper conservative Evangelicals and fundamentalists try to make Jesus “hip and cool” to gain younger followers, when they are some of the biggest hypocrites ever and funneling hundred of thousands of dollars into groups that think queer people shouldn’t exist. No, their “hip” Jesus isn’t for everyone. Their version of Jesus just for white, cisgender, heterosexual hyper-conservatives who have to feel oppressed.
Actually you are correct. The group behind this campaign had been linked to the Freedom Alliance which is a hyper conservative, fundamentalist group that believes women don’t have the right to choose and that queer people should not exist and need to be “saved” (ie- conversion therapy). I shared some links in one of my comments above. It’s actually pretty disturbing.
Load More Replies... Is this an ad for already religious people telling them to accept others? Because that would be great. Still a waste of a lot of money. But a great cause.
Americans have a problem with religion. They way that something essentially private sweeps into every aspect of the public life isn't healthy. And don't come at me with "not mine".
I wholeheartedly agree. After I moved here from the UK for my job (I have family in the U.S., UK, and Demarco), I remember just being so weirded out by the amount of Christian music and advertising on the radio. Some people here make religion and their politic party their entire identity which leads to a terrifying thing called nationalism.
Load More Replies... As an atheist I think every dang church big or small owes back taxes.
Non-Christians have no idea about the foot washing story in the Christian Bible. And it's so anachronistic for today's world that it just comes off as creepy. No one walks around barefoot in the US and needs their feet washed by anyone. Weird AF.
Remember, non-Christians can read and the foot-washing story is in a lot of religious books. For example, Islam and Sikhism have ritual acts of foot-washing as well. It's not just a Christian thing. And yes, it is creepy and weird AF, I agree.
Load More Replies... I may get downvoted, but for a religious advertisement, this was actually a really good commercial. Often, I feel that people who are clouded by bigotry misrepresent Christianity, and this commercial is trying to spread a positive message about acceptance of all people, which is very important in this world. And while washing feet is kind of awkward, it is a religious symbol.
Ok, but to me, it still says "these people still need to be forgiven for their sins". To me, a Christian, do not believe any of the implied reasons for having their feet washed were sins in the first place.
Load More Replies... I am not a Christian and I think this video is a powerful statement - to show people washing the feet of those they have traditionally wronged/hated/judged is a beautiful message reminding us to try harder to see the humanity in everyone we interact with.
Unfortunately, the group behind this campaign is linked to the Freedom Alliance, a hyper conservative group that believes that women should not have the right to choose and that queer people need to be “saved”. Not really nice message of tolerance and acceptance. There are numerous articles online from the BBC, NPR, and other verified news sources that mention this.
Load More Replies... I really liked the idea and the images, I just wish this was a photography series and not a big wasteful super bowl ad
I really wish there was a competitive company in my area. I really miss going to that losers store. :(
I like how there was a literal ad for scientology, but we only care but this Jesus ad.
I'm not hateful. I'm wrathful. And slothful. And lustful. And gluttonous. And envious. And greedy. And prideful. I'm a sinner, and Jesus died for them, so don't hate me.
Yeah, people need to take care of their foot hygiene.
Load More Replies...
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