STRATEGIC INNOVATION AND MARKETING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Let's look at the current events of the church with the "resignation" of Pope Benedict XVI. We can use this analysis to draw a parallel with his own office.

We can see possible strategies that the Catholic Church can use to attract more followers (clients) and also avoid their circumvention. By losing their faith, these followers may change to another religion (competitors).

Various pedophilia scandals have impacted very negatively to the image of priests and Catholic church.

Certain problems have arisen because whilst society is evolving , the church is not keeping up with the same speed at which society is evolving, being grounded by the Bible. The Bible had prevented the church from changing drastically.
However some of the concepts and principles of the church now have to be rethought. Some of these are:

Marriage of priests. This may be one of the issues that may influence the priests to abuse people within their reach. The priests are hidden from society and may seek to satisfy their natural hormones as human beings.

Acceptance of homosexuality. With the enlightenment of the people comes great acclaim by the media which advocates total freedom of thought and action. The population at large, and as well as those believers who are either gay or have gay children are starting to reject the thought of the church which contradicts such. With some religions contradicting gays, it opens a channel in the competition to convert such people to the church.

Use of condoms - as they believe that this is preventing the reproduction of life, and that sex should be only be only inside marriage

Ways in which worshipping is done. Many of the believers are called non-practicing Catholics who do not go to church because they do not like to listen to the monotonous presentations of priests. Among other changes.

But you can not make these changes with the image of Pope Benedict XVI which stands for traditionalism and conservative. If the pope benedict were associated with these new attitudes he would be contradicting himself because he already positioned himself as the keeper of the old guard .
He should be replaced to visually represent these changes (be responsible, be he who comes to people's minds) to a more youthful pope, with charisma, and who knows, why not a black pope?. He will be faithful to the visual reference (clients).

With the announcement of the Pope leaving the papacy, the media is making the world turn their attention to the Catholic Church. Now that the media has done that, it is attentively, waiting for information and is prepared to launch the attack scenario.

The church has to get out of this comfort zone and attack as an office that stands for thinking that which is as good. In this leadership competition gradually ends up picking up the gaps left exposed.
And always be work for your brand evolving, and pass the right message.

Marcel Bozza

Image Consultant Legal, Graphic Designer graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUC), creator and illustrator of the comic strip "The Legal" from Selem, Bertozzi Consulting.