Chick-fil-A – the restaurant chain known for its Christian roots, chicken sandwiches, and staying closed on Sundays – has announced it's getting ready to launch the Chick-fil-A Play™ App, a new entertainment app with TV shows and podcasts, all designed to appeal to children 12 years old and under and their parents.
CNBC reports the content will include a slate of original animated shows, scripted podcasts, games, recipes, and e-books; and will focus on themes like "generosity, friendship, problem-solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship."
Dr. Ted Baehr is founder of MovieGuide and The Christian Film & Television Commission. He tells AFN he's hopeful about this.
"I knew [Chick-fil-A founder] Truett Cathy, and he probably wouldn't have done an app," he tells AFN. "And several people have tried in the past to provide branded [content]. Hallmark did [it] … and they won MovieGuide awards. I'm hoping Chick-fil-A will win a MovieGuide award. It's a tough business – and as the article said, it's very expensive."
According to Baehr, the average Hollywood movie costs $160 million dollars to make. It was $100 million ten years ago.
Baehr, who has spent decades researching the media and culture, has seen the Christian influence in Hollywood pay off for moviemakers.
"There are a lot of Christians in Hollywood, and they are doing a lot of Christian movies," he shares. "Last year of the top te movies, 70% of them had very, very, very strong Christian content – and that meant 30% of them did not. Only 2% of the top 25 had any extreme sex and violence, and that was at the bottom of the top 25."
Which means "people are making decisions to choose the good," he continues. "I hope [Chick-fil-A] chooses the good [and] prospers. And I hope they don't get bogged down and trying to compete on the level that Hollywood is."
Chick-fil-A plans to launch the app on November 18. The family-friendly content will be available for free.
