The campaign, called "Truth Restored," is not a response to all the questions about Mormonism that have been raised by Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, Scott Swafford, media director for the LDS Missionary Department, said in a statement.
The recent effort has been in the works since 2004, when LDS leaders created a task force of industry professionals from the advertising, media, entertainment, public relations and research fields to answer the singular question, "What message does [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] want to send?"
From that, says Swafford, the church created a campaign based on answering questions such as "Does God know me?" "Does he care about me?" "Does he have a plan for me?" and "Where do I go when I die?"
In the first phase of the campaign, ads placed on television, radio and billboards and in newspapers and magazines in Kansas, New York and Nevada, featured actors recruited from a casting agency who were asked to spontaneously respond to the predetermined questions, Swafford said.
For the second phase, the same questions were asked of new members.
To find the perfect clips for the 60-second spots, church officials conducted more than 200 interviews. Only a handful of people were selected to share their conversion stories on camera, including a Sept. 11 widow and a former heroin addict. Participants received no coaching, Swafford said.
Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, told the Kansas City Star that the ads "are technically well-done, using brilliant advertising savvy but not selling a commercial product. They hit you with this incredibly intense emotional experience, and while you are still feeling it, you can go to the Web site."
Unlike past Mormon ads in which the viewer was encouraged to call for a free DVD or Book of Mormon or to request the missionaries, "Truth Restored" leaves it up to the observer to find out more about the church.
Results for the campaign won't be compiled until next year when Mormon leaders will decide if it should be taken to other cities in the United States. But it is already generating interest, Swafford said, because the number of visitors to Mormon.org has increased significantly.
