Dive Brief:
- Doritos released a new commercial to support its Doritos Flamin' Hot Limón chips at the Grammy Awards starring hip-hop artist Post Malone, the company shared with Marketing Dive.
- In the spot, Post Malone bites into a chip and it sends him into a new dimension where his name is changed to Post Limón. The rapper drives down the street in a car with a "Limón" license plate, gets a Doritos chip tattooed on his face and shoots chips out of a money gun.
- After the spot debuted, Post Malone changed the display name on his Twitter and Instagram accounts to Post Limón.
Dive Insight:
Doritos has a history of partnering with hip-hop artists to promote its snacks. By teaming with Post Malone, the brand can piggyback on the popularity of a chart-topping musician who previously partnered with Bud Light.
Post Malone is known for his dramatic face tattoos. By tattooing a Flamin' hot Doritos chip onto his face, the brand helps cement its relationship with the artist. Even if the tattoo proves to be merely a stunt for the spot, it still helps to connect the brand with the artist's iconic look. And by changing his name on social media on the night that many fans will be watching the Grammy Awards and following along online, Doritos is putting itself at the forefront of the conversation.
However, when brands get this close with an artist, there is always potential for backlash. This is especially true because Post Malone contemporary Lil Xan, also known for his face tattoos, was taken to the hospital for eating an abundance of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. This could become fodder for negative conversations on social media.
Last year, Doritos worked with Chance the Rapper and the Backstreet Boys for a Super Bowl ad. The effort had a direct impact on viewers as purchase consideration increased 9.2%, according to a YouGov analysis. In 2018, Doritos' Blaze brand tapped hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes for its Super Bowl ad and then followed up by sponsoring an event for emerging hip-hop artists that summer. The "Blaze the Beat" platform was a competition for aspiring hip-hop artists to gain recognition through the popular snack brand.
