After Mel... how Hollywood gets religion

Combining two of America’s greatest passions—marketing and religion—niche firms in Hollywood are discovering that selling films to audiences of faith pays.

Even before Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of The Christ,” companies such as Motive Marketing and Grace Hill Media were helping put studios in touch with audiences seeking a moral message.

Recently, for the Disney-Walden Media co-production of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” California-based Motive Marketing designed and maintained an extensive “faith and family outreach” marketing effort while Grace Hill Media handled the movie’s grassroots publicity.