Dive Brief:

• Lay’s is activating around soccer competitions the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) with a star-studded pub crawl in an effort to boost fan engagement — bars and arund the world, according to a press release.
• The PepsiCo brand’s  “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign returns for a third consecutive season and has been updated with the pub theme. The effort stars Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, as well as newest brand ambassador Alexia Putellas.
• For the pub crawl, the soccer superstars searched for venues that serve Lay’s potato chips and stayed to watch the game with patrons in some locations, which is documented in a video on YouTube. Other campaign elements include outside lights that light up at venues serving Lay’s when a UCL game is on, a robust social media presence, the Lay’s Dash digital experience and pub watch parties with prizes.

Dive Insight:

As fans all over the world are crowding into bars to watch soccer, Lay’s is spotlighting its status as the official snack partner of the UCL and UWCL with an effort that showcase pubs serving the brand. The Lay’s Lights will not only act as an indicator that a game is on, but also if the bar is a contender to have customers’ tabs covered by Putellas or Henry. The Lay’s Lights can be found in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Ukraine and South Africa.

Directed by Andrew Lane and created in partnership with Slap Global, the video kicks off with Putellas and Henry as they leave a live interview with journalist Guillem Balagué to search for a bar in Barcelona that serves the snack. Messi and Suárez are on a parallel journey in Miami. The over two-minute long video concludes after the two pairs finally find bars where they can watch the games and share Lay’s with fans.

Fans who are in a bar and eating Lay’s during a UCL game have the chance to have their tab covered. The brand also has giveaways and watch parties planned in the lead-up to the finals. Those who are unable to attend an in-person event can scan a QR code or go to a special website where they can play a game as Putellas, Henry or Messi on the hunt for Lay’s for a chance to win a prize.

The pub crawl effort follows last year’s iteration of “No Lay’s, No Game” that also connected fans with soccer legends. In 2024, the brand shot a commercial in under five minutes during a live match. In the spot, soccer legends David Beckham and Thierry Henry finish a bag of Lay’s before using the “Chip Cam” to find fans in the stadium with Lay’s in hand who were then invited to watch the match with the pair.

Lays parent company PepsiCo saw a Q4 revenue of $27.78 billion, a 0.24% decrease from the year prior. This comes as the company heightens its focus on healthier options in the face of falling snack sales. Many consumers are seeking “better for you” options, impacting the snack market.