I like the people in these commercials. I love how the second woman says “I totally made that up.” Awesome, and so right. I think that Mormons can learn as much from these commecials as non-Mormons, and I hope they will.

BRP, I don’t think those two women are just like anybody. I think the idea is to show that we are not all alike, which is what the world thinks.

This is tied to the Church’s social networking initiative, allowing people to create their own profiles on mormon.org

I haven’t been formally involved in any beta, but I’ve sent the mormon.org people several “issues” that they need to work on with the site, as I’ve been trying it out. All I can say is that, they have been pretty responsive to fixing issues. Much, much, much more than, say, the byu.edu people are at fixing their social networking issues.

I think it’s a really positive thing for the Church.

Add me to the LOVE IT column. And I think if people came to my ward, we might not be overflowing with differences, but there are women who are pursuing their own talents, athleticism and art. More and more, baby… more and more.

ESO, guess what? My SP decided to get into a fitness regimen and tried jogging but didn’t like it. So now he does roller-blading. All the youth in the stake think he is totally badbutt.

Just watched the video for the woman artist and also loved it!

This is great stuff. I think it helps to expand the image of what people think of Mormons – in a positive way.

Somebody needs to do some parody videos. Southern Utah mormons, survivalist Mormons, too-much-emphasis-on-food-storage Mormons, whole-wheat-in-all-foods Mormons.

I can think of some I would like to see.

Glenn Beck and Harry Reed, singing kumbaya around the campfire–each one concluding by saying I am Mormon.

Kathryn Heigl–I’m a Mormon, and hoping to participate more one day.

Brandon Flowers, playing with the Killers–I’m a Mormon.

W.H. Pugmire, whom the interviewer at A Motley Vision described as “the only hardcore-punk queer transvestite rebaptized active Mormon I think I’ve met” http://www.motleyvision.org/2010/pugmire-interview/

Kari–exactly. Only that she was older (I assumed) than the first vignette I saw. I do not mean to ruffle any feathers.

I work with a lot—well, mostly young people. They are my bosses and my mentors. The older I get the more I know age doesn’t matter that much. My 22 year old boss is much more mature than I.

I like the idea of this commercial. I haven’t seen it yet. I hope they present a lot of other people. I could be on it! I could help somebody figure out how to get on their Safari browser on their iphone and turn to the camera with my headset and say “I’m a Mormon.” Win Marsh! And ARJ’s wife—in their dr. coats. Brian Gibson! On the set of Dancing With the Stars. Ellen Wheeler—producer of the cancelled Guiding Light (did I tell you she used to babysit for me?). Truck drivers, Wal-Mart cashiers.

I know it’s supposed to show vibrant people witha joy of life, but why not show that Mormons are just like everybody else except we have slightly more insight into the workings of the universe than others.

I signed up to do this thing where every once in awhile the Ensign surveys people for input. Somebody high up in the church is making changes. I like them. They don’t have much to do witht the gospel, per se, except it seems to acknowledge the value of the individual.

I look at the first presidency, the 12 and think “Is it you?”.

Elder Bednar? Elder Eyring? Oh, it could be God.

When I did the post on the new Ensign, somebody wrote sarcastically to the effect that they’d dumbed it down. Well if that’s true, I’m all for it. Like what I perceive this commercial to say, the changes say there’s room for everybody. Abolishing the Molly (or Michael) Mormon myth is good for everybody.

Just me, I noticed the ethnicity filters to. There are only six choices and they appear to correspond to US Census racial classifications with the exception of “Casucasian” replacing “white.”

I don’t have a problem with racial identification per se, but does everyone of African descent choose African American? Would a Russian speaking, German Kazakh ever self identify as Caucasian and if not, Asian? Unless they are US expats, I don’t see any explicitly appropriate category for Black Africans, North Africans, non-Spanish speaking Caribbeans, Canadians of any race/ethnicity, Europeans, Australians, etc.

We have effectively excluded most of the world outside the US.

Newly Housewife, we have used mormon.org to find Church services while traveling outside the US and the website itself has the option of multiple languages. Canada is specifically problematic too, I can’t see a person of Persian descent living in Toronto as wanting to identify as caucasian, most likely to them the term has a different meaning.

Think of it in practice, a Pakistani selects the best fit “Asian” category and is presented with a group heavily weighted towards Filipino and Koreans. Seems a little counter-productive, instead of finding people similar to themselves they could make a valid argument that we have difficulty dealing with categories that don’t fit cleanly into our stereotypes. And this could possibly be confirmed by the use of “Caucasian” instead of “White,” the former being anachronistic in some parts of the country. Could you see someone referring to their “Caucasian heritage” in the Miami 1st Ward?

If you filter by “Pacific Islander” you get one guy from Jamaica and if you filter by “Native American” you might think that most of the Natives are in that category by virtue of their great-grandmother on their father’s side, who interestingly enough was a Cherokee princess.

I agree DKL. There are definitely some pretty PR savvy people behind these spots. Maybe Mitt Romney should look at hiring a few of them :)

I second the suggestion that we put out a commercial with Glenn Beck and Harry Reid.

Just me, I noticed the ethnicity filters to. There are only six choices and they appear to correspond to US Census racial classifications with the exception of “Casucasian” replacing “white.”

We have effectively excluded most of the world outside the US.

Remember who the programmers are — programmers deemed not essential enough to work on familysearch.org or MLS. (Yegads).

Thaddeus,

You’re not *the* Thad from the classic Primary filmstrip “What About Thad” are you? Because that would explain a lot.

Thaddeus, the name of our commenter “MAC” refers to neither Apple nor to a fallen Scot. It is a reference to Jesus’s secret name.

BTW, I actually believe in gay marriage. I oppose the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, and I favor legislative acts to introduce gay marriage or gay unions when outright marriage is not popular enough to allow a vote. But I think that it is best addressed by legislative measures that expressly legalize it, rather than introducing to via judicial fiat. Your statement that sky-god worshiping loons are denying you your constitutional rights begs the question. According to prop-8, it is not your constitutional right. To be sure, they disagree with the California courts, but the procedural measures of the California Constitution give California voters the last word on the matter.

That said, though I disagree with the decisions of the California courts insofar as they become procedural measures for introducing gay marriage by fiat, I also disagree with prop-8 and its supporters, because I don’t like the idea of amending a constitution to preserve a state of affairs that I find to be immoral.

I’m truly sorry that you and your partner do not live in a state that allows you to marry. Marriage, though difficult, gives a relationship an intimacy and permanence that is unique, and I believe that the most compassionate approach is to make these rewards available to both same-sexed and mixed-sexed couples. But the attempt to smear your political opponents because they disagree with you is just crazy.

But one quick, unrelated question: Why do you call Apple technology “shite”? I thought all gay people loved Apple?

DKL – You possess an enviable wisdom, none the less you are not a political opponent to me, you are my specie brother man, I want only for your joy in this mortal coil! And no, gay people don’t all chase “The Apple”, no lady offered us bumpkin, we chase the proverbial snake like every other good pirate…

and Eso, brother please, I watched the video link, I’m in my mid 30s and I NEVER EVER has such contempt for myself, guess I’, just lucky…would have offered that little ginger creature part of my own lunch, a Diet Coke & a smile…and some positive self esteem

Obviously that should be “their groups” and my last question really applies to the commercials as well as the website.

ESO,

I just clicked on your link and watched a 30 minute commercial for BudLight before the Primary video played. Someone isn’t doing their market research.

“we don’t drink alcohol, coffee, or even Coke”

Let’s drop this schtick. Most Mormons I know drink Coke, or related cola beverages, and there’s nothing in our theology that says different.

Now now now MCQ, words of wisdom, a potty mouth is prohibited. I may come of sounding like a db but at least my boxers are cotton and aren’t sacraMENTAL!

Hey Thad mine are cotton too. There are several choices of material in the Garments we wear.I wonder why people even care about that. I dont care about all the different Robes that Catholic Priests wear AND that little thing with the smoke that they twirl around. I dont care about the Collar a lot of Priests from different churches wear, Why should I care? All the different Religions have different ways of being a part of that particular Religion. Some roll around on the floor, some wave to the heavens when they sing. I dont care about any of that so Why do people care what kind opf underwear I wear?

#42 MCQ – Thnaks for saying that ! I was just about to angrily scroll down & say the same thing. Mbrs who generalize like that don’t realize the impact that can have on others. I have to defend myself all of the time for my Dr. Peppers & Cokes to ppl who have a ‘no soda’ LDS friend. Arrggghh. Maybe that should be my commercial !

I tend to be pretty cynical of the Church’s PR efforts, but I must admit that I liked both of these commercials. It makes me think that the Church itself is coming to not only tolerate, but embrace, the diversity of its membership.

Salon Magazine has a decidedly Salonesque take on the matter:

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/08/09/mormon_ad_campaign

These are great ads. And, when combined with Mormon.org and other proselytizing efforts, they go a long way to addressing (and, hopefully, dispelling) the myth that Mormons are categorically “other”. I think it’s a brilliant approach — and I’d recommend the NorthTemple.com article to any interested in process.

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On a personal note, I’ve created my own profile on Mormon.org … but I haven’t finished it. I just don’t know how well an out, gay, faithful latter-day saint fits in the Church’s marketing plans.