Did the LDS Church model their ads after Scientology’s?

This will be my last post about the “I am a Mormon” ad campaign, I promise. I have to share this video with you, though:

The above ad is from 2009 and was part of a Scientologist ad campaign. Now compare that to this more recent (and near-identical) LDS commercial. Granted, “I am…” campaigns are nothing new in advertising, and the LDS Church could have come up with theirs independently. Yet even the style of the ads is similar! It really looks as though the LDS Church took a page out of Scientology’s playbook. And there’s nothing egregious about that, I just find it amusing.

But in light of this and yesterday’s post, maybe I’m engaging in parallelomania—seeing parallels where none exist. What do you think?

Update: A friend of mine in the comments wrote that the “I’m a Mormon” ads were thought up in 2006. If true, they were probably not modeled after the Scientology ads, which didn’t air until 2009.

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About Jon Adams

I have my bachelors in sociology and political science, having recently graduated from Utah State University. I co-founded SHAFT, but have also been active in the College Democrats and the Religious Studies Club. I was born in Utah to a loving LDS family. I left Mormonism in high school after discovering some disconcerting facts about its history. Like many ex-Mormons, I am now an agnostic atheist. I am amenable to being wrong, however. So should you disagree with me about religion (or anything, really), please challenge me. I welcome and enjoy a respectful debate. I love life, and am thankful for those things and people that make life worth loving: my family, my friends, my dogs, German rock, etc. Contact: jon.earl.adams@gmail.com

13 thoughts on “Did the LDS Church model their ads after Scientology’s?

  1. I would also chime in and say “there are a ton of I’m a… ads that fit the same style,” but the other one that I’m thinking of, “I’m a PC” (in response to the Mac vs PC ads from Apple) isn’t all that flattering to the church.

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  4. Jon,

    I think I can put this one to rest for you… the campaign was developed at BYU in the Communications department where I studied. I first saw it in the Fall of 2006… It just takes the church that long to implement these campaigns on a wide scale.

    I’d noticed the similarities too, but in this case, its either coincidental or Scientology copied the church.

    • Good to know. Thanks, Tyler. What are your thoughts about the ad campaign? I don’t think it will be all that effective.

    • I actually like the campaign because of the presentation I mentioned…

      The campaign is really two-fold and started back when gay marriage in California was a right wing extremist threat and not a reality…. ok, that was harsh, but this is all actually based on research during the 2004-2006 era…

      Essentially they found 2 things:

      1. While most people have talked to LDS Missionaries, they have no idea what we believe. This is why they launched the “truth restored” campaign. (you will notice the branding on everything… along with the “man on the street” ads)

      2. People hold negative views of mormons because they still have serious misperceptions about us… horns, polygamy, cultish communes, etc. Thus the campaign to show Mormons are real people.

      I suspect you don’t think the campaign will be effective because you think its targeted based on our views of gay rights. It’s not… frankly, while the views of those offended by our support of Prop 8 are extreme and taken out of context, they aren’t incorrect in the same vein that “mormons have horns” is.

      The truth is, we are against homosexuality… Sure, we don’t hate gays, ostracize them from our families, and wish bad things upon them, but most people who know Mormons know that is hyperbole…If they don’t see that, no campaign will be effective in persuading them of anything.

      However, to someone who thinks we live in communes and dress like the Amish, it will be effective… That’s who it targets, so I like it.

    • so, the ad campaign is basically, “hey, if you don’t like us, at least don’t like us for who we actually are, instead of who we aren’t.”

  5. Do the people who believe that Mormons have horns even watch TV? I rather doubt it lol. But maybe you’re right that they’ll be modestly effective for those who confuse Mormons for the Amish.

  6. Jon,

    You’d be shocked. I was amazed as a missionary and a traveling college student about the wide range of beliefs about us…

    Some thought we were just normal Christmas-Easter Christians, and were surprised that we really don’t drink, smoke, have sex, etc. Others really believed the Amish, cultish bit.

    If I recall the research correctly, the term “Mormon” had a worse connotation (and more of that crazy stuff) than did Latter-day Saints.

    If people reported knowing a Mormon, they typically had a pretty good idea of what we are. If they didn’t, that’s when the crazy beliefs came in. The Fundamentalists down in Texas and the political prosecution of the polygamist in NV (Green?) didn’t help matters.

  7. The ads are not the only similarities between these groups. Amusing theologies, contempt for “others,” and a proclivity toward lawsuits, to name a few.

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