Megachurch Doritos Ad Aired during Super Bowl XLIV
A megachurch-produced Doritos ad was ranked among the top 15 commercials that aired during this year's Super Bowl.
"Casket," created by Los Angeles-based Mosaic Church, ranked No. 14 on the USA Today Ad Meter, which measures how popular ads that air during the Super Bowl are with viewers.
Neither Mosaic nor the public knew that "Casket" would be aired.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The Frito Lay company kept the three consumer-made Doritos ads that would air a secret until the broadcast. The company had announced the final six contestants in its Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest and allowed the public to vote for their favorite ad. The three entries with the most votes were aired during the Super Bowl. There were more than 4,000 entries this year in the Doritos contest.
Mosaic church won $25,000 for being among the six final entries, but failed to earn more money for not being ranked in the top three overall Super Bowl commercials. Its 30-second Doritos commercial is about a man whose last wish is to be buried in a giant casket with Doritos chips.
Among the three Doritos ads aired, "Underdog," about a dog who puts an anti-bark collar on a man that taunts him with Doritos chips, was ranked the highest at No. 2 on the USA Today Ad Meter. The other Doritos ad, "House Rules," about a kid who scolds his mom's boyfriend for eating his Doritos chips, was ranked No. 11.
This year, Mars chocolate's Snickers candy bar took the top Super Bowl ad spot, according to the Ad Meter.
Besides the megachurch-produced Doritos commercial, another Super Bowl ad that garnered attention because of its Christian creators was the Focus on the Family ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mother Pam.
The Tebow ad attracted a lot of attention after pro-choice groups protested it and called CBS to pull it from the lineup. After the FOTF ad aired, the general response from the public was that the commercial's message was subtle and lighthearted. The 30-second ad does not present a clear anti-abortion message, but directs viewers to the Focus on the Family Web site where a full interview with Pam and Bob Tebow is available. The Tebows discuss their "miracle baby," the now 22-year-old Heisman-trophy-winner Tim Tebow.
The ad was ranked 54 on the USA Today Ad Meter, but was given an A- for publicity strategy by TIME TV critic James Poniewozik on his "The Best and Worst Super Bowl Commercials 2010" list.
