As a follow-up post to ‘Using the church for secular marketing’, there is an article specifically on using the fish symbol prominently as part of a business logo and the effect this has on Christian consumers.
He noticed a familiar and welcome image on the sign posted at the business: a stylized fish, a commonly used symbol to denote Jesus Christ.
The identification of Jesus with a fish traces to the first centuries of the church. The Christian connotation stems in large measure from the use of ‘ichthus’ [or 'icthyus'] the Greek word for fish, as an acrostic for the phrase “Jesus Christ God’s Son is Saviour.”
Clearly the use of the fish symbol divides opinion. On the one hand the Christian businessperson is showing their faith extends to all areas of their life. But it can so easily be seen as a gimmicky marketing ploy. After all the symbol is not exactly ‘proof’ of someone’s faith or religious status.
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27 February 2007 at 6:54 am
Markrmorris2
As the owner of a “christian” theatre company we have struggled with similar issues. I guess I have always been of the opinion that there, ideally, should be ne line between secular and spiritual sense it’s all His anyway. I will say this, choose to use this symbol? Just know that some people will hold you to a ridiculously high standard.
27 February 2007 at 8:24 am
David
Yes, that is interesting, thanks. I hadn’t thought of that. When you announce you are a Christian people will suddenly have different expectations of you.
These expectations will certainly include not ripping anyone off. But they may include unreasonably expecting a discount or special treatment when the customer tells you they are Christian also.
I can imagine a church with, as a member, a handyman. And he would be always fearful of church meetings because he would be asked if he had any spare time to fix something-or-other at the church. There would be an implicit expectation that he would give the church a good deal, rather than the church pay him what was right.