Spring Break
The Daily OrangeRedone 'Craig' campaign regurgitates Christ, rekindles Milli Vanilli
By Evan Reiser
Posted: 4/4/07, 11:07 PM EST Section: Feature
It has barnstormed through Penn State, UC Berkeley, the University of Florida and an indiscriminate amount of other campuses since its 1998 inception at Humboldt State in California, featuring the same slick, pre-packaged, assembly line sequence of events each time. It's every bit as unique as processed chicken parts in a McNugget.
The "I Agree With" campaign last week was not a personal and sincere work of a passionate individual and his friends, but a weird, premeditated and highly successful marketing formula spearheaded by Campus Crusade for Christ, an international college evangelist organization.
Not everyone agreed with the proselytizers, but most did agree that this highly creative entity named Cr__g (I have removed the vowels in Cr__g's name for fear this person may suffer a collapsed ego if the name is seen in print one more time on campus) succeeded in getting our otherwise secular campus talking about Jesus. All students I've talked to, whether God-hating opponents or pious proponents, were under the assumption that Syracuse was the first to experience Cr__g's humble, heartfelt message. And why shouldn't they? No one involved with the campaign hinted at how Milli Vanilli it really was.
Indeed my interest was piqued early on. Who was Cr__g? I hadn't been this excited about a publicity stunt since Tommy was revealed to be the White Ranger, but was arguably more disappointed when its intentions became known. I (as did Hendricks chaplain, Kelly Sprinkle, in his column yesterday) objected to the obfuscation of the radical evangelists' "beliefs" with all Christian beliefs, but I did, and still do, support their right to free speech.
But how exactly were Cr__g and all of his "I Agree With" counterparts chosen? Did a cabal form amidst the shadowy caverns of Hendricks Chapel and weigh their blood against one another to determine the purest, most divine soul?
Hell no, they didn't; this is the work of corporate America, not an underground society. The criteria and personal acumen demanded of a figurehead is even outlined in the I Agree With Campaign Information Packet, a comprehensive 44-page PDF (found on Campus Crusade for Christ's southwest division Web site at http://www.psw.org/Do_You_Agree/DYAresults.asp), detailing exactly how to run the campaign, the economics of purchasing and selling "I Agree With" T-shirts, textbook refutations on how to handle a skeptic, and general tips and advice.
The "I Agree With" campaign last week was not a personal and sincere work of a passionate individual and his friends, but a weird, premeditated and highly successful marketing formula spearheaded by Campus Crusade for Christ, an international college evangelist organization.
Not everyone agreed with the proselytizers, but most did agree that this highly creative entity named Cr__g (I have removed the vowels in Cr__g's name for fear this person may suffer a collapsed ego if the name is seen in print one more time on campus) succeeded in getting our otherwise secular campus talking about Jesus. All students I've talked to, whether God-hating opponents or pious proponents, were under the assumption that Syracuse was the first to experience Cr__g's humble, heartfelt message. And why shouldn't they? No one involved with the campaign hinted at how Milli Vanilli it really was.
Indeed my interest was piqued early on. Who was Cr__g? I hadn't been this excited about a publicity stunt since Tommy was revealed to be the White Ranger, but was arguably more disappointed when its intentions became known. I (as did Hendricks chaplain, Kelly Sprinkle, in his column yesterday) objected to the obfuscation of the radical evangelists' "beliefs" with all Christian beliefs, but I did, and still do, support their right to free speech.
But how exactly were Cr__g and all of his "I Agree With" counterparts chosen? Did a cabal form amidst the shadowy caverns of Hendricks Chapel and weigh their blood against one another to determine the purest, most divine soul?
Hell no, they didn't; this is the work of corporate America, not an underground society. The criteria and personal acumen demanded of a figurehead is even outlined in the I Agree With Campaign Information Packet, a comprehensive 44-page PDF (found on Campus Crusade for Christ's southwest division Web site at http://www.psw.org/Do_You_Agree/DYAresults.asp), detailing exactly how to run the campaign, the economics of purchasing and selling "I Agree With" T-shirts, textbook refutations on how to handle a skeptic, and general tips and advice.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Gail
posted 4/05/07 @ 7:11 AM EST
As a parent, I wonder how much more of an impact you could have if you chose to affirm the clean, uplifting, and positive things such as this when they occur on the SU campus. (Continued…)
Jeff Harlig
posted 4/07/07 @ 10:10 PM EST
This is great investigative reporting. Nice work. (It might have been better if the investigation had been done BEFORE running the original news stories on Craig. (Continued…)
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