Why Do People Advertise for Somebody Else (for free)

That is the question. Why do people pay to advertise for someone else? I asked myself this question while I was walking in the mall and passed one of those retailers whose name I see emblazoned on shirts and hoodies. This merchant, and others like them, put their names on merchandise then sells it to customers who proudly wear them. I am talking about retailers like The GAP, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Aeropostale. The thing that gets me is that not only do people wear these logoed apparel, but they pay extra to get them. Hoodies, shirts, caps, sweaters, and jackets that are bear the name of the store cost more than those that do not.

            This thought might not have ever came to me had I not heard someone else bring it up first. I believe he was offered a shirt bearing somebody’s logo (I forget) and he said he didn’t advertise for anyone without getting paid for it.  The irony is that not only are people who wear these logoed apparel not getting paid for it, they are actually paying for the privilege to advertise for the retailer.

            Perhaps this is the next generation of name brand loyalty. Back in my day, people paid more for the privilege of wearing Guess or Levi jeans or Nike shoes. Perhaps store are merely capitalizing on the public’s ability to identify with a name, either a brand name or a store name. Before it was IZOD and Polo now it’s Eddie Bauer and The North Face.

            I can understand people wearing apparel that bore the logo of a nonprofit organization. I could see people wearing apparel that identified then with a sports team (after all, sports loyalty is a strong thing). I can even see people wearing stuff that had the name, logo, or mascot of a university of which there are an alumnus. I just can understand why people would pay to wear stuff that connects them to a store brand, especially if it isn’t free. Free is a different story.

            Why do I say that wearing a jacket or sweater that bears a store’s logo advertising? Because it is advertising. What is the purpose of advertising? It is to get your name or the name of your products before as many people as possible to entice them to do something, either support your or buy your product. When people wear clothes with a store’s name on it, they become a walking billboard for that store (and companies/stores usually have to pay for billboards). Unless the wearing got the clothing for free, they are paying for the privilege of being an unpaid ad for the store.

            So, again I ask the question: why do people pay, sometimes excessively, to advertise for someone else?

Good Stewards - Our Possessions

There are biblical reasons why we are to be good stewards of our resources. The first being, they are not ours but God’s. Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it (emphasis added).” Job said it like this, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there (Job 1:21a).” He was saying we own nothing. It all belongs to God. We are to take care of it because He has entrusted His property into our care. If we fail to be good stewards, then God will either remove His entrusted property from us or us from it. Whether those resources, be they money, cars, clothes, homes, or talent. We are to use them for His glory not just for our own selfish purposes.

            The Bible tells us that we are to honor God with our money. We are to give Him the firstfruit of our labor. There are two reasons why I believe people don’t tithe. The first reason is that they cannot afford it. They are so deep in debt that they are already behind after they get their paycheck. They do not have enough to cover what they owe plus what they need to live on. The next reason is that people have too much money. They have enough money to pay their bills, pay for medical care, and pay for most contingencies. They have enough money that they see no need for God. They don’t have to trust Him for food. They don’t have to trust Him for bills. They don’t have to trust Him for medical care. They don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen if another bill comes or a paycheck is cut. They’re rainy days are covered.  God is not their insurance—their bank account is.

            Yet, we are all required to honor God with the resources He has blessed us with, both the rich and the poor. If we do this and we trust Him, He will bless us with more. If we do not honor Him with them, what we have will be taken away from us (Matthew 25:14-30). The widow gave two mites (less than a cent) and Jesus said she gave more than the Pharisees who gave a lot (Mark 4:12, Luke 21:3). On the other hand, there was the rich young ruler who refused to honor God with his resources and it cost him everything (Matthew 19:16-26). I encourage you to also read the account of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21. The moral of the tale is this: possess your possessions or they will possess you.

            The solution to the condition of the rich as well as the poor is to give it all to God. Not just your financial situation but your finances and possessions; give them back to Him. I give you some financial tips in my book, For Such a Time as This: The Darkness Cometh. But here are a few more: 1) Make a budget. 2) Set apart God’s portion first. 3) Pay important bills next. 4) Make arrangements with other creditors. Whatever you do, live within your means. That may mean downsizing your abode, cutting off cable, eating in, or buying non-name brand items. The secret to financial success is to live within your means. In other words, don’t spend more than you have. Our government does and now our country is in hoc to the Chinese, among other nations. Let us not forget to give God His due off the top first. If you honor Him, He’ll remember you. Besides, it is His anyway and He can just take it back whenever He wants.

            What if, you say, you don’t subscribe to the whole ‘God owns everything’ philosophy? The principle still applies to you. It is important that you take care of your things otherwise they won’t last long. How long will a car last if the oil is never changed? How long will a house last if it is not kept up? How long will a yard if it is neglected? Clothes that are not washed will soon be unwearable. They will be stained and eventually get an odor that no detergent can remove. Ask anyone who buys white sneakers about how it is important to clean those shoes every day. If you let a day go by, then a stain can set in and ruin their appeal and appearance.

In these three posts, I’ve tried to encourage us to be good stewards of what we have: our time, our bodies, our resources/possessions. Not only does it honor God, but it benefits us as well. By being good stewards, we can make the best use of our time, keep our bodies in good shape, and make our possessions last longer.

Good Stewards - Our Bodies

The one thing we cannot neglect but we all do is our bodies. The Bible says that we are not our own and that we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)). That means that we are the property of Someone else. Just as some 200 years ago African slaves didn’t own themselves in this country, as Christians, we do not own ourselves now. Even if you do not subscribe to Christianity, it is important for you to take care of your body because it is the only one you have and contrary to science fiction, you will not get another one.

            Taking care of our bodies means several things. First, we must eat right. Eating right does not mean eating bland food but eating food in moderation. We must drink plenty of water (this is where I fail). We need to cut back on the sugar and caffeine. I don’t know what the cause is, but I still suspect that it is something in our diets that is the leading cause of the rise in Alzheimer’s disease. It may even be the cause for many cancers. We know that it is the cause for some cases of Diabetes.

I like biking.

Not only must we eat right, we must exercise. We need to work our muscles—this includes the heart. It is always recommended that you speak with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Your doctor can not only give you permission but can suggest the best exercises for your health needs. Walking is beneficial. I like to walk. I haven’t moved up to running yet. Working in the garden can be healthy. I love to bike. There is also skating, rollerblading, sports games like volleyball, soccer, flag football, basketball, or even mountain climbing. (I have great memories climbing Pinnacle Mountain in Arkansas). Then there’s the tried and true gym (calendar regular gym times and keep the appointments). Some gyms have pools and swimming is a great form of exercise. If your gym doesn’t have a pool, you can look around for one that does and see if they offer guest memberships. Some have suggested taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work (something I often did). Walk to lunch instead of ride (if it is close by). Home gyms are sold in many retail outlets and come in varying sizes. You can get everything from the big all-in-one unit to individual weights and pull-up bars. The point is this: there is no excuse why we cannot exercise other than laziness and laziness can lead to other problems like heart disease, heart attacks, and weight problems.

Here are a few other suggestions for take care of our bodies: take regular baths and use deodorants, stop smoking, limit our intake of alcohol, and get plenty of rest. Brush your teeth daily—the recommendation is twice a day—and include the tongue. The biggest cause of teeth loss is gun disease which can be thwarted, for the most part by regular brushing. And last, but certainly not least, get regular physical exams—at least once a year—to ensure your health status. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard of people waiting to go to the doctor when they are not feeling well only to find out they have cancer and only a limited time to live. Many cancers are detectable in the earlier stages but are not detected because we do not want to go to the doctor. Take care of your body—it is the only one you’ll get. The condition of your body determines the condition of your life.

Good Stewards - Time

I thought I offer up some principles I intend to implement this new year. I call them principles not resolutions. They are not resolutions because resolutions are things people resolve to do at the beginning of the year that do not last to the end of the year. This is mainly because their resolutions are goals; goals with no plan of how they will be achieved. This is why I offer principles. Principles are lifestyle standards not goals. Standards will lead to change where goals will not, at least not without a plan of achieving them.

            There are three principles I wish to offer up. These principles will not cover every part of our lives nor are they intended to. As I implement new principles, I will share them. The wonderful thing about principles is that they do not need to be implemented only around the start of a new year. These principles I wish to share will revolve around stewardship. We are to be good steward (managers, caretakers) of our time, bodies, and our resources.

Time

Time is precious. Time is money. Time is non-replenishable. It is a commodity that once spent cannot be re-earned. Therefore, it is important that we make the most of the time we have. Each of us is given the same 24 hours in a day. Some use that time wisely while others waste it away. Just remember: our future destiny is determined by what we do today—how wisely we use that time.

            Therefore, I intend to use my time wisely. I plan to invest it in the Kingdom of God through regular prayer and study of the Word. I will work at a job that is fulfilling and rewarding. I will spend meaningful time with my family. As I once heard someone say, “You’ll never hear anyone say at the end of their life, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office’.”  One way we can ensure our time is well-spent is to keep a calendar of our activities. In doing so, we will see how our time is used and abused. We can also use a calendar (electronic or paper) to plan out our days. Calendar our prayer time and Bible-study times. As my wife and I do, schedule weekly date nights or family game nights. Do not neglect those things which are important.

            One word of wisdom: being busy and being productive is not the same thing. The devil can keep us busy so we are not productive in the important things, particularly, in the things of God. We can be busy commuting from one place to another. That doesn’t make us productive especially if it takes away from time that could be spent with the Lord or with family. If we cannot get around the commute, that may mean we have to rise earlier or go to bed later but we cannot neglect our time with the Lord. If we are faithful to Him, He will be faithful to us. Maybe He will make it possible for a shorter commute. We can be busy watching television but is that productive? Is the program educational? Is it spirit-building? We can be busy on the computer playing video games or surfing the web but that doesn’t make it productive. There is nothing wrong with spending time in this manner so long as the important things do not go neglected.

            It is just like parents tell their children: homework before television. Before I turn on the so-called, ‘idiot box’, I am going to make sure that I have spent some time with my wife and some time with the Lord and in His Word. Then, there will be time for other activities. If we put them first, we’ll find that there’s rarely any time left for God. Like our tithes, we are to give God the firstfruit not the leftovers.