The signs are everywhere

As anyone who uses transportation in the Washington area could tell you, a "DC Festival" is taking place soon, such festival to somehow involve someone named Luis Palau.

By very closely examining one of the DC Festival advertisements on the Metro train, I identified this event as a Christian festival.  The primary clue was the ad's use of the term "Good News", and its hyping of a retinue of unknown-to-me performers was another solid indicator.  Subsequent observations of signs clustered near church properties served as further confirmation.

So I see two striking elements in this ad campaign:  first, its success at reaching almost everyone via non-traditional placements; second, its near-total avoidance of its true purpose.  Imagine a grassroots ad campaign for Nike (except without the creativity and inherent entertainment value), and you have the idea.

Caryle Murphy of the Washington Post has followed up these angles and more in an article titled "Playing Up Party Instead of Pulpit".  The article mentions that DC Festival has some corporate sponsorships, offering ye olde one-pro-quote-one-con-quote take on the matter.  A conventional concern with such sponsorships is offered by a professor of evangelism (?!), but the supportive quotation is fascinating:

"When people see names of companies they know and recognize, it gives them a comfort level," said former Navy secretary John H. Dalton, fundraising chairman for DC Festival.

It's not clear to which "people" Mr. Dalton is referring (other donors to the festival? attendees?), but still, what a commentary on the esteem in which those people hold major companies relative to evangelical organizations! 

I wonder what GMU's Larry Iannaccone, a leading expert on the economics of religion, would have to say about this.  Since he doesn't have a blog, I may have to interrupt class to ask him.