Doritos taps Lil Nas X as sheriff of 'The Cool Ranch' in Super Bowl push

Dive Brief:

Doritos released a new teaser video on its social channels to build enthusiasm around its Super Bowl commercial — the second teaser to promote the spot — the company shared with Marketing Dive.
The latest teaser is called "Bassquake" and stars hip-hop artist Lil Nas X on horseback playing music from the saddle as he heads to "The Cool Ranch," an Old West setting inspired by the Doritos flavor of the same name. Country star Billy Ray Cyrus will also be featured in the spot, according to press materials.
This is the first time the Frito-Lay brand has focused the spotlight on the Cool Ranch brand in a Super Bowl ad. The teaser video that dropped last week starred actor Sam Elliott as a cowboy walking into a bar reciting the lyrics to "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X's hit song.

Dive Insight:

This latest Doritos effort comes as the popular chip brand is looking to reposition the Cool Ranch product and refresh it in newer and more modern ways, and comes as the company recently revamped the flavor. By using the massive public stage of the Super Bowl as a launchpad, Doritos has the opportunity to deliver this message to a broad audience, especially by tying its ad into Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," which became the longest-running Billboard No. one last year.

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay brand is playing it big at Super Bowl 2020, hoping to dominate the snack category at the big game. The parent company is also running the "Group Chat" spot for Doritos, Lay's, Tostitos and Cheetos, a football-themed campaign in which NFL stars make plans to watch the game together and to bring their favorite Frito-Lay snack to the viewing party.

Additionally, the snack giant is also using the big stage of the Super Bowl to launch a new master brand campaign for Cheetos. The effort aims to position the product as a lifestyle brand by promoting orange-dusted fingers as a way of life. In doing so, the company named the distinctive orange dust "Cheetle," and tapped rap legend MC Hammer for a playful ad.

Buying expensive Super Bowl ads is a strategy that resonates well beyond game day. Not only do these spots garner significant attention when first aired, they also tend to live on online throughout the year. Of the 10 most-viewed ads on YouTube last year, six kicked off at the Super Bowl, suggesting that the annual game is the perfect event at which to debut an ongoing brand campaign.

The snack category holds a special opportunity around the game. Not only do people purchase snacks for Super Bowl viewing parties, but they purchase snacks throughout the year. Research suggests that all U.S. adults prefer snacks to meals, with millennials overindexing in this preference. Pringles is also using the Super Bowl to promote its chips with a partnership with Adult Swim.