Dive Brief:
- Frito-Lay brand Cheetos partnered with Amazon as its exclusive selling partner for a novelty kitchenware product, the Cheetos Duster, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The product is available for purchase beginning Nov. 21.
- The Cheetos Duster takes to the likeness of a handheld blender and is intended to blend up a handful of Cheetos into dust, or “Cheetle,” as coined by the brand. To spark inspiration, Cheetos released a slew of recipes paired with video instructions for making Cheetos cuisine.
- The novelty item is the latest to hit the market this holiday season and the latest attempt by the brand to generate hype for its orange dust.
Dive Insight:
The foodstuff that gives Cheetos products their flavor is known for coating consumers’ fingers, but with the Cheetos Duster, the brand is sending a message that its powdery dust is made for more than sticky hands.
As demonstrated on its designated Amazon landing page, the duster operates with a click of the button and will grind Cheetos into dust. The novelty product features the Cheetos orange branding and the vessel comes spotted with orange Cheeto-dust fingerprints. Along with the product, Cheetos unveiled a series of recipes that use its “Cheetle” dust, like Flamin’ Hot Hot Dogs, Cheetos-flavored gyros and even a Cheetos Flamin’ Hot turkey leg. Videos sharing the recipes are peppered with phrases like “Dust Yeah” and “Get those toppings popping.”
While the brand will begin selling the duster on Amazon on Nov. 21, it is also giving consumers the opportunity to sign up for pre-order notifications beginning Nov. 17. Additionally, Cheetos’ Instagram account will display a countdown ticker indicating the product’s release.
Cheetos has been trying to turn its so-called “Cheetle” into a pop-cultural touchstone for a while. Last year, the brand partnered with hip-hop lifestyle brand Rock the Bells to unveil original art pieces made using Cheetos dust. The brand also debuted an immersive “Hands-Free House” at SXSW earlier this year, which showcased devices that could be used when consumers’ hands were covered in the dust, and saw a cross-promotion with music artist Bad Bunny that encouraged people to post photos of their Cheetle-covered fingers.
Others have rolled out novelty products ahead of the holidays. Most recently, Coors Light released a nail polish that changes color as the temperature changes. Earlier this month, Southern Comfort unveiled its “drinking pants” that are equipped with a pocket fit perfectly to hold a shot glass.
