Come Near and 7th Sense Research, a Radius Company, Win Gold and Silver FOR HE GETS US at the 2026 ARF David Ogilvy Awards
Research behind He Gets Us "Loaded Words" campaign and film "More" shows the power of listening to real people
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Come Near commissioned 7th Sense, a Radius Insights company, on research to support He Gets Us, which was awarded Gold in Cultural Fluency and Silver in Social Responsibility at the 2026 ARF David Ogilvy Awards, presented at Tribeca Rooftop in New York. The recognition is a milestone for work centered around faith and spirituality in the mainstream marketing industry: Come Near is believed to be the first explicitly faith-centered group recognized in the awards' three-decade history.
Hosted by the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), the David Ogilvy Awards are among the highest honors in the field, celebrating campaigns where deep research and human insight shape creative effectiveness and drive measurable impact. Cultural Fluency honors an exceptional understanding of people and culture used to connect authentically across communities, and Social Responsibility honors research that creates positive social impact.
Come Near's mission is to invite all people one step closer to the authentic Jesus from wherever they are, and that work begins with listening to real people. Through more than 100,000 online conversations, a national survey of 5,000 U.S. adults, focus groups, in-home ethnographies, diary studies and monthly tracking, Come Near's Insights team and 7th Sense identified roughly 27 million Americans who are spiritually seeking and open to Jesus, yet guarded toward institutions like the church. Many carried church hurt, exhaustion and a longing for something more. What they needed first was to feel safe enough to be curious. That insight shaped who Come Near focused on, how it spoke to them, the creative and how the He Gets Us brand showed up in culture.
"As synthetic data and AI become a bigger part of how our industry understands audiences, staying close to real people matters more than ever. So much of what we learned came from human stories, tensions and lived experiences that data alone can't always tell you. That's cultural intelligence, and for us, it's where loving our neighbors well begins," said Bukola Omotayo, Vice President, Research & Insights, Come Near.
That understanding became "Loaded Words," a campaign with multiple films built around everyday words that induce pressure, doubt, or fear. The 60-second film "More" aired during the 2026 Super Bowl and asked viewers one question: There's more to life than more. What if Jesus shows us how to find it?
Tracking showed a statistically significant lift in openness to hearing more about Jesus's teachings and stories among people aware of He Gets Us and those who saw "More." And thousands who engaged in digital journeys on HeGetsUs.com wrote back to express they felt safe, seen and heard, the same words research participants had used to describe what they needed.
"Come Near winning the Ogilvy award exemplifies the value of a trusted partnership with Radius Insights, as brand purpose allowed us to dig deep to reveal the genuine human emotions, motives, and behaviors, which informed confident decisions that led to award winning activation" said Rob Wengel, CEO, Radius.
"'More' is a word advertising leans on constantly. Come Near turned it into a question worth sitting with. That only comes from listening long enough to hear what people are really carrying," said Kolin Watts, Co-Managing Director, 7th Sense.
About Come Near
Come Near is the team behind He Gets Us. Formed in 2023, Come Near creates stories and experiences to invite people to consider Jesus and why he matters. He Gets Us has reached millions of people on culture's biggest stages. To explore more, visit hegetsus.com.
About Radius Insights
Radius Insights, a portfolio company of Star Mountain Capital, is a global, AI-accelerated insights, brand strategy and innovation consultancy helping the world's leading brands uncover growth opportunities, make faster, smarter decisions, and drive measurable business impact. We combine custom research, advanced AI, analytics and senior strategic expertise to deliver a boutique-at-scale experience, bringing together the speed of AI with the judgment of experienced researchers, strategists and innovators. Through the acquisitions of Strive Insight, 7th Sense, Illuminas North America, and ONE Strategy Studio, Radius has expanded its capabilities across consumer, CPG, retail, technology, automotive, financial services, healthcare and B2B. Learn more at www.radiusinsights.com.
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