From papal selfies to the viral generative AI images featuring a stylish puffer jacket , Pope Francis became a prominent popular culture figure during his papacy.
Author
- Aidan Moir
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Media and Film, University of Windsor
News media called him the " People's Pope ," branding that also circulated online on social media to turn Pope Francis into an icon who symbolized the progressive ideals of 2010s popular culture.
His 2013 election was significant for many reasons, including the fact that he became the first Jesuit and first pope from Latin America . His acension to the papacy represented an attempt by the Catholic Church to rebrand itself through Francis's "progressive" public image.
The Catholic Church as an institutional brand has been at the centre of numerous scandals and controversies after committing grave injustices for generations.
Pope Francis, on the other hand, became what branding expert Douglas Holt calls an " iconic brand ." These are entities that serve as powerful symbols that reflect cultural myths and ideals.
Just like politicians or celebrities, popes also need branding to develop their public identities.
Branding and the papacy
Pontiffs have always been subject to branding, making them unique subjects for public fascination and popular culture. Decisions about what shoes to wear and what papal name to take are in fact acts of branding.
Pope Francis chose his papal name to align himself with Saint Francis of Assisi . He also chose to wear a simple white cassock for his first public appearance on the balcony at St. Peter's Basilica. These decisions were branding strategies.
Francis's use of social media brought the papacy into a new digital age. It provided him with a platform to build his brand in a manner similar to politicians .
His embrace of technology made him appear "cool," leading to a decade of viral social media posts and memes. The first papal selfie , taken in 2013 with teenage pilgrims visiting the Vatican, went viral on Twitter.
Iconic brands cannot act alone to maintain their cultural status. As Holt explains, they depend on " co-authors " to create myths that connect brands with the public. Co-authors are media texts or cultural groups circulating stories that give meaning to iconic brands.
From the outset, news media were an integral part of building the pope's image. Francis was Time magazine's 2013 Person of the Year , and graced the cover of Rolling Stone .
He was largely unknown around the globe prior to becoming pope. Media coverage played an important role in presenting his brand to global audiences as news reports suggested Francis's humility, compassion for the poor and radical approach to the papacy would transform the Catholic Church.
Just days after his election, The Washington Post labelled Francis "the People's Pope." This title connected Francis to figures likes Princess Diana , a similar iconic figure known for challenging protocol and her progressive charity work who was dubbed "the People's Princess."
A 'progressive' image
After legacy media bolstered his iconic brand as "the People's Pope," Pope Francis reinforced this messaging through strategic, selective actions.
Francis became pope during Barack Obama's presidency in the United States. The two men shared some similarities , including representing different "firsts."
Francis was aware of his iconic brand as "the People's Pope." Like Princess Diana, this branding allowed him to appeal to a global audience, regardless of religious affiliation.
His first official trip was to the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, holding mass for asylum-seekers and migrants.
His response of " who am I to judge ?" to a media question about the Catholic Church's position on 2SLGTBQ+ issues gained positive media coverage.
In 2015, Francis published his first papal encyclical focused on the connection between climate change and global poverty.
Pope Francis developed an iconic brand that connected with the public during a decade defined by progressive ideals as legacy and social media worked together as co-authors in building his identity.
Iconic brands can transform the institutions they represent. Pope Francis's image demonstrates how papal branding is no different than other forms of branding. It depends on different dynamics coming together at the right moment to form myths for public connection.
Memes related to the movie Conclave are already going viral on social media. The new pontiff will enter a different cultural landscape than Pope Francis, but the strategies for creating an iconic brand remain the same.
Aidan Moir previously received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
