$100 million campaign aims to fix Jesus’ brand from damage caused by followers

The He Gets Us campaign, backed by the Signatry Foundation, a Christian organization based in Kansas, is launching a massive effort to repair Jesus’ image from the damage caused by some of his followers, including the recent controversy over whether he supported gay marriage.

Billboards with messages like “Jesus let his hair down,” and “Jesus went all in, too,” have been placed in major markets like New York City and Las Vegas. Ads featuring black-and- white online videos about Jesus as a rebellious activist host of a dinner party have been viewed more than 300 million times, according to the group.

The campaign’s website includes a section called “I’m Ready To Be Like Him.”

There, visitors can sign up to receive emails and text messages about how to live a life like Jesus. They can download downloadable wallpapers and stickers.

They can even watch short clips of what Jesus might do on Facebook Live.

In addition, there is an online store where people can buy T-shirts, mugs and hats with slogans like “I’m Ready to Be Like Him.” If they forgive someone or welcome a stranger, they can print out a certificate saying they’ve done something good.

And in the coming weeks, the campaign plans to launch an outreach program for churches, with training sessions for pastors on topics such as how to talk about Jesus without being offensive.

Jon Lee, one of the campaign’s chief architects, said organizers hope to start a movement of people who want to tell a better story about Jesus and act like him, like the way that Christians used to act during the early church.