Adding a fish symbol to an advertisement for a business is more likely to help than harm, according to a study by the Barna Group.

While most people surveyed (51%) said that they would be indifferent to a particular brand if they knew the company ran according to Christian principles, 43% said that they would be receptive to doing business with the firm, and only 3% indicated they would be less likely to do so because of the faith link.

“In other words, a product or service managed according to Christian principles generated a positive-to-negative ratio of 14 to 1,” the researchers concluded.

When asked if they would be more likely or less likely to buy a particular brand if they knew it was from a company that embraces and promotes the Christian faith, 37% said more so and 3% again responded less so. The favorable-to-unfavorable ratio this time: 12 to 1.

Consumers in the Midwest and South were found to be most likely to express interest in both Christian business connections. In the West and Northeast, only one-third of customers expressed a preference for a Christian-operated business

Other demographic segments favoring businesses incorporating Christian elements were women, Boomers (ages 46 to 64), Elders (ages 65-plus), married adults, parents of children under age 18, political conservatives and Republicans. College grads were slightly less interested than average in Christian companies, though income was not a defining factor for or against

Young adults (ages 45 and younger, but especially those under the age of 25) were among the least interested in Christian-oriented brands. Active participants in Protestant churches were among the most attracted, with two out of three interested in products and services that promote Christianity.

Commented David Kinnaman, Barna president: “There appears to be a significant opportunity for enterprises that understand and value faith to express their faith consciousness through their business practices—not simply as a marketing gimmick, but as an authentic part of their content, their mix of products and services, their branding and their corporate culture.”

Source: Barna Group.

To read the report in full, go to http://www.barna.org/culture-articles/472-americans-christian-business.