Super Bowl Jesus ads shift focus from culture wars to seeking ‘more’

The Super Bowl Jesus commercials that have gone viral over the past four years are returning for Sunday’s big game with a message that steers clear of heated cultural fights.

Instead, “He Understands UsTitled “More”, the campaign focuses on the internal struggle to chase “more” under the pressure of social media and society. He invites viewers to consider what Jesus said about true fulfillment and purpose.

inside 60 second commercial“More”, which will air in the second half of the play, shows a montage of scenes of people seeking validation through material possessions, thrills, and luxurious lifestyles, with a voice-over repeating: “You need to learn how to enjoy this more.”

The spot ends by suddenly going silent, showing a woman walking in nature and enjoying the peace. The following words then appear on the screen: “There is so much more to life. What if Jesus showed us how to find it?”

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The campaign’s producer, Come Near, told Fox News Digital that the purpose of the ads is to invite viewers to seek the “real Jesus” and wrestle with what He has to say “about our doubts and difficult questions.”

Come Near’s chief impact officer, Dr. “We know that people today are looking for peace, hope, joy and love, things that we believe Jesus has been throughout history and may be the single greatest source of today,” Tyler Johnson said.

Johnson said the ad, which will play during Sunday’s game, targets the daily pressure to achieve “more” such as attention, money, success and status, and challenged viewers to rethink what they are actually looking for in life. He said Romans 12:1-2 and Matthew 6:24 inspired this theme.

“Jesus isn’t saying it’s wrong to want comfort, beauty, or security. But he questions what happens when the pursuit of more becomes what defines us,” Johnson said.

Fox News Digital talked to Come Near, who is behind the “He Gets Us” campaign, about what they did differently in this year’s Super Bowl ad. (Come Closer)

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In recent years, “He Gets Us” has gone viral with polarizing ads that drew backlash from both the left and the right.

During the 2023 and 2024 Super Bowl games, conservatives objected to ads they felt carried “woke” messages.

A 2024 ad showed a police officer washing the feet of a young black man and a protester washing the feet of a woman outside an abortion clinic. The message ended with the slogan: “Jesus did not teach hatred. He washed the feet.”

The campaign also faced criticism from the left over the money spent on advertising and its heavy ties to the family behind crafts retailer Hobby Lobby.

“Foot Washing” spot for the movie “He Gets Us” that premiered at Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night. (Courtesy of He Gets Us)

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“What we’re hearing from people is that everyone is inundated with noise today,” Johnson said of the messaging change in 2026. he said. “He Gets Us is certainly known for its commentary on culture, and Come Around is a group of people deeply moved by elevating the public conversation about Jesus.”

This year, they wanted to address personal concerns they heard from spiritually curious people.

“[W]“We were inspired to develop the campaign from what we heard in the listening research and the feedback we received while sharing the ads with spiritually curious and skeptical people: turn thinking inward,” he said. “We want to create a space where everyone can come as they are, ask tough questions, and discover Jesus without fear of judgment. “Our hope is that just as Jesus made us feel seen, heard, known and loved, our neighbors will feel seen, heard, known and loved by what they see in the movie ‘He Gets Us.'”

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Simon Armour, Come Near’s chief creative officer, said the Super Bowl ad aims to offer viewers a simple takeaway: “No matter who we are and where we are in life, Jesus offers an invitation to us all: there is more to life than the pursuit of more.”

He said the ad deliberately began with a “more” energizing feeling, then showed the pressure and futility of the chase, but Jesus offered “a different path.”

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“More” is part of the campaign’s “Loaded Words” series, which launched in December. Come Near says its ads will also run during the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup.

“Each ad in the He Gets Us ‘Loaded Words’ series explores how everyday words filled with expectations add to the ever-present noise in our lives, and how expectations can mean something different when reframed by the person and teachings of Jesus,” the group said. he said.