The Chosen Strategy—How this church might be inspiring others to do human-led out-of-home advertising

You might question my right to write this, given that I do not attend the church in question.

Well, I have always been fascinated by organizations doing excellent at their craft, whether in their approach to business, the choice of technology, or their marketing style. Essentially, I am always interested in those using unconventional approaches to build their conventional businesses and vice versa. Today, I have chosen to be unconventional myself, digging deep into the very brilliant but perhaps most talked-down advertising channel of a church in Nigeria.

Out-of-home Marketing

Have you seen some billboards on your streets whether in Nigeria or Portugal, the posters on taxis, buses, down the aisle in that airport or train station? 

Out-of-home advertising (OOH) is a form of advertising that can be found outside a consumer’s home. Traditionally this includes everything from billboards to bus shelters, benches, tube systems, metro, street furniture, and everything in between. If you see an ad outside of your home (and it’s not on your mobile phone or gadgets), then you are most likely looking at some kind of OOH ad. As reported by Statista, in 2022 this medium received around 5% of the global ad spending ahead of radio and print.

According to MarketingCharts.com, 1 in 5 customers in the United States have been influenced by out-of-home ads in a purchase decision.

Research carried out by geopoll.com corroborates what is obtainable in the United States. The effectiveness of out-of-home advertising seems palatable but in the case of this church, there is a lot more to discuss on the subject.

The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries

The mediums mostly used for OOH are cars, buses, walkways, and the like but this church dares to use the most mobile medium I can think of—humans.

A good number of persons reading this article might know or have heard of the church in question—The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries (TLCCRM)—for those who have not, TLCCRM is a revival church inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring the knowledge of salvation to all the kings and their subjects, to the masters and their servants, to the rulers and them that are being ruled all over the world. Away from that, their members are mostly known for wearing customized jackets on their outfits, whether on the streets of Lagos or in Enugu, they are consistent with this system—their medium of out-of-home advertising. 

Several people might have reasons to talk down on this particular example, after all, we are a product of influence and biases. I have chosen to steer clear of all those differences and zoom in on the undisputable result that their marketing channel has achieved, how much virality it has gained, and how recently, a “bigger” organization in the space they play in is starting to adopt this marketing style. 

Human-led out-of-home Marketing

One thing that businesses often fail at when choosing their marketing channel is not doing a thorough strategy session. While they look into all contributing factors and gun for the desired result they often forget to consider the available resources. Perhaps, marketers are swayed by the unrealistic expectations of their CEOs, the desire to impress, or the hurriedness to go into the market without holistically measuring the outcome they desire with the resources they have. Whether intentionally or by the Spirit, TLCCRM made one of the best decisions in choosing its advertising medium and the result is inspiring others to follow suit.

While I have my reservations about mobile billboards as an out-of-home marketing channel, I think an obvious advantage is how it takes the gospel of your business to where it needs to be seen—when executed and optimized for this. As in the case of The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, I doubt it can be argued otherwise, that is if we agree that the target audience of this marketing is most likely those looking for protection against the “devil”, looking to get out of pain and tribulation, those who desire a “sudden” breakthrough, or those who have a staunch belief that heaven is the reward of every Christian. I do not need a survey to measure if this marketing style will attract their audience. My question is, how much effort is being put into converting the leads that this brilliant marketing channel may be generating?

I will digress a bit to talk about how marketers might be making the mistake of doing their best work at setting up a stunning campaign but not meticulously orchestrating the lead generation funnel for conversion. Marketing is good but optimizing the lead for conversation is king. Remember, the potency of your efforts is mostly appreciated by the direct value it brings to the business—some may argue otherwise.

The purpose of this article is not just to talk about a church—have no doubt, I am eager to propagate the gospel at every instance. The purpose is to help you understand this marketing style in a very relatable way. It is important to choose advertising channels based on available resources and not on the result you desire. Not every trending strategy might be a good fit for you especially when you have other effective alternatives.

Data is key

In the case of this church, I could not lay my hands on the data that corroborates my guess that they are ripping bountifully from this advertising channel. But it is wise to at least acknowledge the possibility of a bountiful harvest, because other churches like The Redeemed Christian Church of God are beginning to adopt similar channels. They most likely have better information about the results than I do. For whatever reason the idea of human-led out-of-home marketing was birthed—perhaps to manage costs or in an eureka moment—we must acknowledge the audacity and the thoughtfulness of those who brought it to brighter light.

Final thoughts

In a world inundated with conventional marketing strategies, The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries has boldly embraced the unconventional—turning their members into mobile billboards for their message. While the idea of human-led out-of-home marketing may raise eyebrows, the undeniable attention it garners and the ripple effect observed in other religious institutions adopting similar approaches highlight a crucial lesson for marketers. In choosing a channel, it's not just about the glamor or the desire for results; it's about aligning strategies with available resources. 

The success of this church's audacious campaign underscores the importance of considering the potency of your efforts, not just in capturing attention, but in converting leads. 

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, let us be inspired by the lessons of those who dared to be unconventional, reminding us that sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead to the most remarkable outcomes.