Exploring Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Advertising by Religious Organizations

The advertising industry faces criticism from many fronts regarding its practices and societal role ([@R38]; [@R39]). Divergent opinions exist regarding the use of sex in advertising, advertising directed toward children, and the use of advertising by nonprofit organizations and professional service providers. A survey of adult consumers was utilized to examine consumer perceptions toward advertising by religious organizations. The study presents an exploratory test of a scale measuring attitudes toward church advertisements and discusses its relationship with selected individual characteristics. Specifically, the role of religiosity, motivation and attend church, and attitudes toward advertising in general are examined in relation to respondents’ attitudes toward churches’ use of advertising. The study findings reveal consumers who hold positive attitudes “toward advertising in general are in favor of the use of advertising by religious organizations. Additionally, consumers who attend church to fulfill spiritual motivations are positively disposed toward the use of advertising by religious organizations.