catapult magazine

vol. 9, num. 22 :: 2010.12.03 — 2010.12.16

With the sparkle of holiday lights come constant appeals to our consumer instincts, from both for-profit and non-profit institutions alike. Each one is telling a story and want us to be a part of it. What’s good about branding? Where has it gone wrong?

Feature

The maturing of brands and Sneetches

by Sam Van Eman

If God is the first Brand Manager, what makes good branding?

Articles

Save the kids

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

A reflection on branding and the Church's responsibility toward our children.

On being branded

by Joseph Liechty

A peace studies professor recounts the experience of college re-branding.

For sale: Jesus

by Kyle Luck

On the bait-and-switch methods of contemporary evangelism.

Satisfaction guaranteed

by Paul Chaplin

The how and why, the true and false, and the good and bad of branding.

Gallery

Communion

by L.L. Barkat

In case you missed it the first time

Marketing the church

by Kris Vos

While general advertising can be a trick to lure in unsuspecting consumers, the church has special considerations when creating and sending out "successful" marketing materials.

Reality servanthood

by Kate Bowman Johnston

Is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition philanthropic?or pornographic?

“Josep’s Opus,” or “Coke’s mini-movie”

by Sam Van Eman

On the adman's use of music, for better or worse, to manipulate.

Weaving the web

Q&A: Rob Walker

Stop Smiling

An interview with the New York Times columnist and author of Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are .

“Jesus” For Sale

Killing the Buddha

Becky Garrison on cutting the Christian cheese at Book Expo America.

Advent Conspiracy Podcasts

Imago Dei Community

Free audio downloads on the relationship between Christmas and consumerism.

Columns

Desecrating the asterisk?

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

Some of the story behind *cino's efforts to win a $50,000 grant from Pepsi.

daily asterisk

Even in a country you know by heart
its hard to go the same way twice
the life of the going changes.
The chances change and make a new way.
Any tree or stone or bird
can be the bud of a new direction. The
natural correction is to make intent
of accident. To get back before dark
is the art of going.

Wendell Berry
“Traveling at Home” from Traveling at Home

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