Frito-Lay has teamed up with PepsiCo Beverages for a joint Playoff campaign that brings together five Super Bowl champions – brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, Jerome Bettis, Victor Cruz and Terry Bradshaw – to take fans on an adventure to gear up for the Big Game.
The campaign – the latest in a decades-old relationship with the NFL and Super Bowl – includes a 60-second television spot that features the champs with the brands that are (arguably) the major players for the event, including Doritos, Lay’s, Tostitos, Pepsi, Mtn Dew and Bubly.
“PepsiCo is synonymous with the gameday viewing experience, and no other company can bring together snacks and beverages for the complete NFL package,” said Greg Lyons, SVP and chief marketing officer, PepsiCo Beverages North America.
“We know that 90% of households will be enjoying snacks and beverages together on Super Bowl Sunday, but this year, we’re starting the journey to LA a little early with some of our favourite brands.”
Added Rachel Ferdinando, SVP and chief marketing officer of Frito-Lay North America, “We wanted to start the playoff season in a joyful, celebratory way, so we’re featuring legendary players and iconic brands all in one fun-filled campaign.
“From the start of the road trip to the pit stops along the way, the journey is fuelled by the best in snacks and beverages – game-day favourites that only PepsiCo can deliver.”
The Road to Super Bowl
Jerome ‘The Bus’ Bettis organises a road trip to take the Super Bowl champions to the Big Game, and antics ensue – from a house that gets hitched to the bus, to a singalong to Olivia Rodrigo's hit Good 4 U and a ‘special seat’ for Bradshaw.
“This commercial has it all – a combined 10 Super Bowl rings among the players, the best gameday drinks and snacks from PepsiCo Beverages and Frito-Lay, and of course, I got to work alongside my brother,” said Eli Manning.
“The post-season is always an exciting time of year and I hope this campaign helps get fans geared up for The Big Game as we take them with us on the road to Super Bowl LVI. We have a ton of big, funny personalities in this commercial, so I hope everyone enjoys watching it as much as we enjoyed filming it.”
The commercial begins airing on Super Wild Card Weekend (15-17 January 2022) and will be flighted up to Championship Sunday (13 February 2022).
At the game
Frito-Lay will also be taking over the Super Bowl LVI screen with two in-game spots from Flamin’ Hot and Lay’s.
Flamin’ Hot will include both the Doritos and Cheetos brands as well as other friends who embody the spicy spirit, while Lay’s is returning to the big game for the first time in 17 years.
The popular chip brand is also bringing the on-screen fun to life for some lucky fans at ‘Calle de Crunch’, an in-person experience at LA Live on the days leading up to Super Bowl LVI.
And making sure that the community spirit is spread even further, Frito-Lay and the PepsiCo Foundation will be ramping up its partnership with GENYOUth to provide food access to low-income neighbourhoods across Los Angeles. More information on Frito-Lay’s community work will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Following the seismic announcement that Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar are headlining the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, Pepsi is again raising the stakes with a mobile app. Designed for access-hungry music fanatics, the app – available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store – offers complementary experiences during the show itself and exclusive content drops in the leadup to the most watched 12 minutes in music.
The free app also gives fans the chance to win Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show sidelines passes, including flights and hotels and artist-signed footballs.
‘Holy’ ground chips
The campaign comes hot on the heels of the launch of Golden Grounds, a limited edition line of Frito-Lay chips made from potatoes grown in fields mixed with sacred soil pulled directly from NFL stadiums.
“Lay’s is all about bringing joy to our fans, and we know there’s nothing that brings a smile to football fans’ faces more than cheering for their favourite team at their home field,” said Stacy Taffet, VP of marketing, Frito-Lay North America.
“The limited-edition chips are our way of celebrating fans who stand by their teams through victory, defeat and everything in between. I can’t think of a better way to kick off our journey back to America’s biggest stage with Lay’s return to Super Bowl, where we’ll look to spread even more joy with delicious game-day snacks and an incredible new commercial we’ll unveil soon.”
NFL fans have a chance to win a pack of these coveted chips, by entering the Golden Gronds sweepstakes on Lay’s Twitter account. Fans need to show their support using the #LaysGoldenGrounds, #Sweepstakes and the official NFL hashtag of their favourite team, along with Tweet-worthy pics. Deadline for entry is 25 January.
The gameday fun continues in store with NFL-themed Frito-Lay packaging available at retailers across the US – yet another chance for fan to win NFL swag.
The campaign is part of Frito-Lay's Super Bowl advertising partnership, which is now on its 17th year.