(NewsNation) — Super Bowl commercials are a major attraction during the big game, with a reported price tag of $7 million for a 30-second spot this year. However, one ad set to air Sunday simply asks Americans to pray.
Research from American Insights reveals that faith-driven Americans spend around $2 trillion annually, yet they remain largely untapped as a demographic for marketing purposes.
For the first time in Super Bowl history, one of those million-dollar ads will be a humble prayer.
Actors Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie, not pastors or priests, will lead a prayer, inviting 100 million people to bow their heads during halftime, courtesy of the prayer app Hallow. The commercial is set to air in 15 markets, FoxNews reported.
“For us when we’re thinking about what to do for the ad, we’re like Hallow’s just prayer, so why don’t we just take 30 seconds to pray together, give thanks to God for this opportunity,” said Hallow CEO Alex Jones. “It’s the Lord’s Day, it’s Sunday, so it feels fitting.”
Hallow bills itself as the #1 Catholic meditation app, which boasts 14 million downloads. It promises peace, better sleep, and a closer relationship with the divine and now makes an appearance during the big game. The ad comes at a time when faith-driven audiences are gaining recognition.
Hallow isn’t the sole tech company targeting the market share. A vast selection of prayer and meditation apps exist, including Amen, Abide, and Pray.com. Pray calls itself the number one app for daily prayer and Bible stories, boasting 16 million downloads.
“We’ve seen a 1500% growth since the pandemic,” said Pray.com co-founder Matt Potter. “Eighty-eight percent say that they experienced less stress, less anxiety, better sleep, just from doing our Bible bedtime stories or daily devotionals in the morning. We’re currently proving that with clinical trials with Harvard and Biola and Berkeley and a few other universities.”
Unlike the big game, prayer isn’t a spectator sport. It differs from other videos on social media where viewers are purely entertained. These apps aim to inspire more people to engage and develop a relationship with God.
“I think what people are really hungry for is real peace. I think everybody, but especially young people,” Jones said.
Jones’s response to those who find discussing Jesus, God, and payer as “preachy,” asserting there’s no room for payers in sports or public forums is: “We have a bunch of folks on the app; we have a bunch of different faiths. We’re just interested in exploring it. We’re not trying to force anything down anybody’s throat. We’re just inviting people into five minutes of silence, 10 minutes of silence with God, and I think it can change their lives.”
So, what’s the source of funding for a Super Bowl ad like the one by Hallow? Investors. While Hallow offers both free and paid versions, they’re utilizing funds to make significant strides.