"Casket"
Erwin McManus' Commercial for Doritos
Doritos is sponsoring a "consumer-made ad contest" to be shown during the Superbowl broadcast.
Super Bowl commercial slots selling fast, CBS says
Quote:
Doritos has six finalists. The three that air will be picked in online voting. In one ad, a guy stages his own funeral just to munch Doritos and watch football undisturbed — in a casket. Just as unlikely is the guy who produced it: a pastor. "It's a miracle and a divine comedy that we've made it this far," says Erwin McManus, pastor at Mosaic, a church in Whittier, Calif. "I think it's God's sense of humor."
"Casket" has made it to the top 6 entries in this contest. The final 3 will be decided by online voting.
Of course, Erwin McManus is promoting his entry on Twitter and Mosaic has a brief promo at Mosaic.org.
What's interesting about the Mosaic blurb is the information that this commercial was created by a "team from Mosaic."
Other people promoting the "Casket" commercial include Rick Warren and Jon Gordon.
According to Jon Gordon's blog,
Erwin Mcmanus, a friend of mine, is the exec producer of a funny Dorrito’s commercial that MIGHT get shown during the Super Bowl! Out of 4000 submissions they made the top 6 but need our votes to make it into the top 3.
Eric Bryant has a promo on his blog,
"Now you can help my friends win the competition! Please help us spread the word!"
Among Eric's "friends" is Erwin McManus; who also just happens to be Eric's boss.
Oh, did I mention the prize money?
Here is the breakdown from Moneycentral.com
Potential grand prizing for the contest will be based on each of the three winning ad's ranking on the USA TODAY Ad Meter:
* $1 million will be awarded for a Doritos ad that scores the number one spot on the Ad Meter
* $600,000 will be awarded for a Doritos ad that scores the number two spot on the Ad Meter
* $400,000 will be awarded for a Doritos ad that scores the number three spot on the Ad Meter
If the consumer-created Doritos ads sweep all top three rankings of the USA TODAY Ad Meter, an additional $1 million bonus will be awarded to each winner for a total prize giveaway of $5 million.
Which raises the question, "If McManus' team wins, who gets the prize money?"
If this commercial was made using "a team from Mosaic", it seems only fair that Mosaic should get a share if "Casket" wins any money but things in the McTwilight Zone are not always so cut and dry.
I came across this "tweet" from a woman named So-Young Kang, the CEO and Managing Partner of "The Awaken Group." [Yes, it is "related" to the now infamous family of "Awakens" created by Erwin McManus!]
So-Young Kang
So-Young Kang Erwin McManus' film production company finalist in national contest
Note the "Erwin McManus' film production company" part.
The following is from the Awaken Group website:
January 7, 2010So, Erwin hasn't wasted any time launching his "new" film company and now he has a "new" bio to go with it.
Erwin McManus’ film production company finalist in national contest
Erwin McManus, one of our Founding Partners, and his film production company have made the final 3 in a national contest for a Doritos commercial to air during the Super Bowl this year.
Wedgewood Circle
ERWIN RAPHAEL MCMANUS
Erwin Raphael McManus is an author, speaker, activist, filmmaker and innovator who specializes in the field of developing and unleashing personal and organizational creativity, uniqueness, innovation and diversity. He is committed to creating environments that expand imagination, unleash creativity, and maximize the creative potential in every individual and organization. Erwin is the Founder and President of Awaken and McManus Studios. Convinced that the world is changed by dreamers and visionaries, Awaken serves the purpose of history by maximizing the divine potential in every human being. He also serves as a Senior Scientist with the Gallup Organization. Engaging such issues as culture, creativity, change, and leadership, Erwin is widely known as a thought-provoking communicator. His travels have taken him to over 30 countries and he has spoken to over a million people from a wide variety of audiences, including the NFL, Lionsgate, New Line Cinema, and ILOG. His work is featured in numerous films, articles, and magazines across the US and internationally.
If McManus does win the 5 million dollars, it would be nice if he developed a "new" conscience too and returned some of the $700,000 in donations he accepted from members of the original Church on Brady who answered his call for "sacrificial giving."
Instead of a new church, all they got was the "commercial."
Yvonne W.
UPDATES
13CW31
California Sports AP News
SUPER BOWL AD-MEGACHURCH LA megachurch hopes to win Super Bowl ad contest
(Stations: Moving on financial, sports and entertainment services.)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sometimes it's tough for churches to break through to audiences on Sundays during football season, never mind when it's the Super Bowl.
So a Los Angeles megachurch is trying to break through with its own commercial during the game.
The Mosaic church is among the top six finalists in the Doritos' "Crash the Super Bowl" commercial contest.
Their lighthearted spoof plays off the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of the church's 3,000 members work in the film and TV industry.
If they make the top three in online voting, their commercial will be aired during the Super Bowl.
Lead pastor Erwin McManus says he hopes the humorous ad shows it's OK to laugh in the faith community.
The Parthenon
Marshall University's Student Newspaper
"Church ad a contender for commercial challenge, could air during Sunday's Super Bowl"
by Kate McCloy
This article has been 404'd and is now unavailable. It had been picked up by the College Media Network. I found it on a Google cached page.
Here are a few excerpts:
Erwin McManus, the head pastor of Mosaic church in Pasadena, Calif., is viewing the ad competition as a chance to present his faith to one of TV’s largest audiences when they are least expecting it, according to the USA TODAY Web site.
"It sounds like it's a good goal to get the message out, but with the description of the commercial, I'm not sure if the message will come across or not."
Chris Roberts
Campus Minister
Herd4Christ
McManus said on the USA TODAY Web site he wants people to know that they have a sense of humor and that it's OK to laugh. He said so much of what comes out of the faith community seems sour and somber. He wants to show people that they can be people of faith and enjoy life and laugh.
According to the USA TODAY Web site, if the ad, which is relating to the resurrection of Christ, makes it to the top three in an online contest, the ad will air during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Beliefnetnews
Calif. Church Gets into the Game With Super Bowl Doritos Ad
Erwin McManus expresses his views on "earning the right to be heard."
SUPERBOWL UPDATES
The Superbowl is over but the "buzz" continues. Here are a two reactions to "Casket" and the final ad results from USA Today's Ad Meter.
Forbes.com
The Ad Bowl
Best And Worst Ads Of Super Bowl XLIV
Laurie Burkitt, 02.07.10, 09:45 PM EST
PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay aired three commercials for Doritos. Reviews by our panel were mixed. Tom Bedecarre, CEO of digital ad agency AKQA, liked a consumer-generated spot in which a dog scores Doritos after strapping a bark-prevention collar on a snacker. He bashed as “tasteless” another commercial in which a guy who’s going to be buried with Doritos, springs out in his casket during his funeral.
Politics Daily
David Gibson
Is the Resurrection Funny? One Church Has a Super Bowl Bet on It
Political columnist David Gibson was not amused by "Casket."
USA Today Ad Meter results
"Casket" missed the top ten and came in at #14.
6 comments:
Using my Sherlockian powers of observation, I noticed that his new bio mentions nothing about him being a pastor, or proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Fact: the "Believe the Impossible" campaign was initiated by the elders and the lead staff of the then-Church on Brady. Erwin was a member of the elder board, but it wasn't his sole vision.
Fact: people who requested the return of donations were, in fact, returned their donations.
Fact: the cost of the commercial was covered by an outside investor. No church money was used for the commercial.
Fact: ten percent of whatever prize money will be won, will be tithed to Mosaic.
Facts are good.
Anonymous,
I don't know where you got your so-called "facts" but here is the truth:
1. The "Believe the Impossible" capitol fund-raising campaign was held at Union Station on June 27, 1997. Erwin McManus had already accepted the position of lead pastor at the Church on Brady and was not merely an "elder." It was Erwin's "vision" to purchase the Chicago Title Building in Rosemead even though the asking price was far beyond what the congregation could afford. Erwin encouraged the congregation "to give sacrificially" and indicated that God would reward their efforts. I know people who sold family heirlooms and collectibles to donate the money towards the campaign. One young couple donated the money they had saved for a down payment on a house and another man gave the money he saved for a new car. All this money was donated towards the purchase of a church property "within the Los Angeles area."
Anonymous, I attended the event at Union Station so I'm writing as an eye-witness. Erwin can be a highly effective salesman when he wants to be.
Well, that purchase never occurred and in 2007 the Believe the Impossible money was used to bail out a daughter congregation in San Bernardino county.
2. I know of only two people who asked for and received a refund of their donations. I still have the email from one of these donors who thanked me for telling him he could ask for a refund in the first place.
Both of these donors asked for a refund when they found out their donor restricted funds were about to be spent for a different purpose.
As far as I know, no effort was made to "unrestrict" these designated funds by asking permission from the original donors nor was any effort made to inform donors they could "ask" for a refund
3. You wrote, "the cost of the commercial was covered by an outside investor" but since you don't reveal who that investor is, it could be Erwin McManus. I'm really not interested in who funded the commercial, what I am interested in knowing is whose production equipment was used and were paid personnel from Mosaic used as part of the production team. You wrote, "No church money was used for the commercial," but if church personnel and equipment was used, that's something the California Attorney General and the IRS will be extremely interested in.
Mosaic could lose it's tax exempt status if they are allowing a for profit company to use church resources and personnel for non tax exempt purposes.
4. I'm sure the current elders of Mosaic will be interested to know that McManus plans to "tithe" ten percent of any prize money he wins from this commercial. Of course, if it is later revealed that McManus used church equipment and church personnel in the making of this commercial, then giving back a mere "ten percent" seems more like something the Pharaisees would do rather than something Christ would.
"Facts are good" but the Truth will set you free.
Phil Johnson has an interesting blog entry on this topic over at Pyromaniacs:
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2010/01/erwin-mcmanuss-casket.html
Yvonne:
The fact that people gave sacrificially towards a church vision that ultimately didn't work out has no bearing on Erwin. If, as you say, your father was on the board of elders, they were the ones to approve the vision, and they did, as did the rest of the leadership team. Erwin thus a vision approved by the leadership team of the time. Blaming Erwin for Mosaic's inability to secure property seems like misplaced blame at best.
None of the production equipment used was equipment owned by Mosaic. No paid staff from Mosaic worked on the commercial. And yes, an outside investor (not Erwin) underwrote the cost.
And since it was announced weeks ago from the pulpit that 10% of any winnings will be tithed to Mosaic, the elders are already aware.
It seems that you're trying to stir up controversy where none exists. It also doesn't sound like you're in much relationship with anyone currently at Mosaic, or operating from any information beyond what you can scrounge up on the Internet. (Not the best source of information, by the by.) Perhaps the time has come for a peaceful parting of the ways.
Anonymous,
Thank you for your post.
In 2007, Erwin McManus and the current leadership at Mosaic used the restricted funds raised for the Believe the Impossible campaign to bail out the financially troubled Mosaic Inland Church in San Bernardino County. According to the laws regulating the use of restricted funds, this was not legal since the original donors clearly intended those funds to be used towards the purchase of a new facility "within the Los Angeles area." This was specified in the fund raising literature handed out at the time.
I have been told by sources inside Mosaic that Erwin, and the leaders of Mosaic who are loyal to him, were warned this was not a legal move.
Please read my first post, "A Revisionist History of the Church on Brady?", for more details.
I'm glad to hear that none of the production equipment used in the commercial was owned by Mosaic but can you tell me if any of it is owned by one of the Awakens or McManus Studios LLC? If this is the case then there are laws regarding the legal transfer of real property amongst non-profit and/or for profit corporations which must be followed.
Thank you for the rest of the information regarding staff, underwriting and the intention to tithe 10 percent of any winnings.
Anonymous, I still maintain many ties to people within Mosaic, several of whom are very concerned about the way the church is being operated.
As long as that is the case, this blog will continue.
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