Lay's weaves brand into Snapchat series 'Endless'

Brief:

Lay's snacks are being shown throughout "Endless," a Snapchat docu-series whose third season started streaming on March 7, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer. The show, which was renamed from "Endless Summer," has Lay's product placements in each episode as it follows the lives of two social influencers.
Lay's also created six-second, non-skippable ads starring Dylan Jordan, one of the stars of the show, that will run throughout the season, as Snap demonstrates in a video about its collaboration with the snack brand.
The first two seasons of the show had 38 million unique viewers, and 90% of people who completed season one later watched season two during its first month, according to Snapchat parent company Snap. Bunim/Murray Productions, known for creating "The Real World" and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," produces "Endless."

Insight:

Lay's brand integration with "Endless" aims to reach younger viewers who have grown acclimated to ad-free viewing experiences on streaming platforms like Netflix. By prominently featuring Lay's in each episode and running non-skippable commercials featuring influencer Dylan Jordan, the PepsiCo-owned snack brand can cut through ad clutter and connect with an audience that's more difficult to reach through traditional media.

"With 'Endless,' we’re innovating against more traditional approaches to advertising and developing branded content that is additive to Gen Z's experience...rather than setting out to disrupt it," said Sadira Furlow, VP Lay's, Ruffles, Value Brands, in comments emailed to Mobile Marketer.

Snap claims that more than half of Generation Z in the U.S. watches its Snap Originals shows, an audience that is a key target for snack brands like Lay's. About three quarters (74%) of Gen Zers said they often snack between meals, per a study by the Institute of Food Technologies. Gen Zers also spend more time throughout the day watching mobile videos than any other group, with a strong emphasis on short content that fills gaps in their daily routines, a separate study found.

"Endless" focuses on the lives of two social influencers, who also have a significant effect on the purchase habits of younger consumers. Almost half (44%) of Gen Zers said they have made a purchase decision based on a recommendation from a social influencer, compared with 26% of the general population, researcher Kantar found in a consumer study. By collaborating with influencer Dylan Jordan, Lay's is integrating its brand with influencer-oriented content.

The Lay's campaign comes as other marketing efforts are being disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, Lay's starting running a 60-second commercial to coincide with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League tournament. The UEFA subsequently has made a series of announcements about postponing and re-scheduling matches because of the COVID-19 coronavirus. As the pandemic disrupts the marketing plans for brands, they may increase their reliance on digital media platforms like Snapchat to reach consumers.