Pepsi and Frito-Lay CMOs Going Long on Super Bowl Campaigns
*By Carlo Versano*
Super Bowl Sunday is the ー well ー Super Bowl of building brand awareness, particularly for food and beverage companies. This year, Pepsi and Frito-Lay, both units of PepsiCO ($PEP), are once again among the snack giants planning to use the 100 million-plus members of the expected television audience to launch new products and elevate brands in their respective portfolios.
Frito-Lay commissioned a spot featuring the Backstreet Boys, with Chance the Rapper remixing "I Want It That Way" to promote the new Flamin' Hot Nacho Doritos ー what Frito-Lay CMO Jen Saenz called "a hot twist on an original."
Saenz spoke to Cheddar Tuesday alongside Greg Lyons, the CMO for Pepsi, which is known for its Super Bowl ads and social media engagement tied to the Big Game.
Pepsi bought ad time for a commercial featuring Michael Bublé endorsing its Bubly sparkling water line. That product has been an "absolute success" with only 20 percent brand awareness, Lyons said. Pepsi launched Bubly a year ago as a hedge on its main product line ー and to compete with the wildly popular La Croix, as more millennials switch from diet soda to flavored sparkling water.
Lyons previewed Pepsi's other tentpole ad ー a playful riff on the oft-spoken line from waiters when customers order a Coke: "Is Pepsi okay?"
That ad brings together Steve Carell, Lil' Jon, and Cardi B to tell viewers that "Pepsi is more than okay, it's awesome," Lyons said.
Household names like Pepsi and Frito-Lay benefit from "multiplier effects" with Super Bowl advertising. Americans are shopping for, eating, and interacting with their products all at the same time, Lyons said. Pepsi was the most talked-about brand on Twitter for the last two consecutive Super Bowls ー an achievement it's hoping to three-peat.
In addition to the TV ads and social engagement, Pepsi and Frito-Lay have built over 65,000 in-store displays at stores around the country meant to showcase the brands' synergies.
Doritos and Mountain Dew are purchased together more often than peanut butter and jelly, Lyons said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/pepsico-plans-ultimate-super-bowl-party).
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