Commercials for theological reflection

I frequently invite people — in my classes, in church settings — to do theological reflection using commercials. Patricia O’Connell Killen long ago published a lovely book with an excellent process in it for more general theological reflection, which I have adapted. You can download my handout, based on her book.

And here are some commercials worth exploring using this process:

• Share Your Gifts (Apple’s 2018 holiday ad)
• President’s Choice (Canada)
• Adidas “break free”
• Android: Be together, not the same
• Apple “misunderstood”
• Apple “the song”
• Apple “the human family”
• Oreo “dare to wonder”
• Nike “equality”
• Nike LeBron James “together”
• Honey Maid “this is wholesome”
• Barbie “imagine the possibilities”
• 2016 Chevrolet mascots
• Pepsi “forever young”
• TIAA “this is success”
• Danish TV2
• YouTube Music “Afsa’s song”
• You Can’t Stop Us (Nike during pandemic)
• Gillette’s “the best man”
• We All Win (Microsoft’s adaptive player)

You can also do this exercise with public service announcements:

• Found tonight
• Perception
• Wishes
• Always “like a girl”
• Dove “real beauty sketches”
• Dove “selfie”