• by Tanya Gazdik , February 6, 2025

“Foot Washing," a 60-second commercial from He Gets Us, debuted at last year's Super Bowl.

“He Gets Us,” the effort to connect with consumers in the name of Jesus, will be back for a third Super Bowl.

This year's ad is an invitation for viewers "to explore the contrast between greatness as our society defines it and what Jesus said and showed greatness is, and what that might mean for all of us,” Come Near’s Greg Miller told Rolling Stone.

“Each year, when a multi-million-dollar advertisement for God's undying love comes on TV, sandwiched between spots for Doritos and Pepsi and Old Spice, it prompts questions, like: Who is paying for this? Answer: Come Near, the... nonprofit, which has close ties to the billionaire family behind the arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby. Beyond their wide selection of fabrics and notions, Hobby Lobby is known for convincing the Supreme Court to weaken a provision of the Affordable Care Act that mandated employers provide birth control coverage for their employees.”

But Come Near's FAQ says the messaging is addressed to everyone, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation: "Jesus loves gay people and Jesus loves trans people. The LGBTQ+ community, like all people, is invited to explore the story of Jesus and consider his example of unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness of others. No matter who you are, YOU are invited to explore the story of Jesus and consider what it means for your life."

While the campaign is best-known for its Super Bowl ads, the effort has also appeared on the MLB World Series, the NBA and NHL playoffs, on top of a NASCAR race car and during the recent Grammys.

“In its first year, He Gets Us was billed as a $100 million ad campaign funded by The Signatry, a Christian donor-advised fund that promises to funnel its contributors' dollars into ‘biblically responsible investments,’” according to Adweek. “A spokesperson for Come Near declined to answer additional questions about the group's funding, including whether this year's ads still fall within that initial $100 million budget.”

A 30-second ad slot in Fox's national broadcast of the 2025 Super Bowl is estimated to cost up to $8 million.

“[Come Near] is led by CEO Ken Calwell, though not many other details are known about the organization still in its infancy,” according to Sporting News. “Pedro Lerma, who created last year's ads, again put together this year's commercial. In 2023. the ads were funded by the Servant Foundation. The campaign received criticism due to its connection to the Servant Foundation, which reportedly donated millions of dollars to a nonprofit fighting against abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights.”

On Feb. 8, the day before the Super Bowl, He Gets Us is partnering with musician Jon Batiste to host a music festival-style activation in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward.

“He Gets Us hosted a similar community event on the Saturday before the Super Bowl last year in Las Vegas, handing out over 1,500 hot meals and groceries to local residents,” according to Adweek. “Current and former NFL players, including Brandin Cooks and Russell Wilson, participated in the 2024 event.”