VIDEO: Is It a Good Idea To Include God in Your Marketing Plan?

When the CW (CBS) (TWX) launched a provocative campaign promoting the return of its hit series Gossip Girl, the million member strong Parents Television Council took issue. The ads feature a “sexually suggestive photo showing a teenage boy kissing a girl's cleavage,” said the PTC in a statement. Not surprisingly, “the Parents Television Council deplores the CW's deliberate use of profanity and sexual imagery to exploit and further corrupt young viewers, and has warned its members about the show and the new ad campaign.”

Along with the racy imagery, the photographs have accompanying text stating either ‘OMG,’ slang for ‘Oh my God,’ or a more profane version ‘OMFG.’ The CW network issued a statement defending the campaign, pointing to its ability to distinguish the show from its competition, and speak “directly to our adult 18-34 viewers using expressions that are part of their lexicon.”

OMFG didn’t fare well with the parents, but one thing the PTC didn’t take issue with was the inclusion of G. This isn’t God’s first time participating in an advertising campaign. God and other religious imagery has become a marketing mainstay, most recently in a Toyota (TM) “born again” campaign, advertising certified pre-owned vehicles, a Virgin Mobile (VM) holiday campaign, with a dance party dedicated to Jesus, a la “Go Jesus, it’s your birthday,” and an Absolut Grail print ad featuring a bottle of vodka surrounded by a halo of light.

Does religion belong in advertising? Good taste would dictate no; attention would say otherwise. And, what’s too far? Words without imagery? Imagery without words?