The Super Bowl is not only the biggest stage for American football, but almost as importantly, it is the biggest stage in the advertising and marketing industry. ?Groups spend millions and millions of dollars to get people’s attention. ?Check out this creative ad, “Casket,” for the Super Bowl made by Mosaic Church in LA. ?Erwin McManus is the pastor of this very innovative church that has a ton of members that are a part of the TV and film industry in LA.

?Casket? was inspired by one of our team member?s funeral experience where his deceased grandfather requested to be buried with a beer and cigarettes. ?Casket? is a commercial where a guy stages his own funeral just to munch Doritos and watch football undisturbed ? in a casket. But of course, things don?t go as planned. (from vote for casket.com)

There is a good AP article explaining the reasoning behind their lighthearted spoof.

“We’re not trying to use Doritos to propagate a message, but I think we want people to know that we have a sense of humor, that it’s OK to laugh,” McManus said. “So much of what comes out of the faith community seems so dour and somber and we want to say, ‘Hey, we’re real people. You can be a person of faith and really enjoy life and laugh.”

Phil Cooke, a Christian producer, filmmaker and author says this about the commercial.

“Nobody’s going to fall on their knees and accept Jesus as a result of this spot. But advertisers on Madison Avenue spend millions on a Super Bowl spot because they know it influences people,” said Cooke, the producer. “It might not get someone converted, but I think it will get someone to say, ‘Maybe there is something I ought to investigate.'”

What do you think? ?How do you like the “soft” sell approach to faith?

LA megachurch hopes to win Super Bowl ad contest – Yahoo! News.