Doritos, Tostitos Tout Taste with Entertainment Tie-ins

Frito-Lay moves from Star Wars to summer concerts as it rolls out reformulations of Doritos and restaurant-style Tostitos.

Doritos Nacho Cheesier hits stores May 9 with an aggressive TV, radio, outdoor and Internet campaign breaking May 16, extending Dorito’s “if not now, when?” campaign and touting better taste (more intense flavor and color, and less aftertaste).

Dorito’s “VIP Concert Experience” sweeps breaks June 1, awarding tickets to summer concerts. The sweeps runs through August.

Until then, Frito-Lay is running a multi-brand “May the Fun Be with You” campaign timed to the May 19 premiere of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Star Wars-themed packages and P-O-P displays show characters from the whole Star Wars series; an in-pack, instant-win game puts game pieces in bags of Lay’s Classic and Lay’s Wavy potato chips, awarding a trip for four to Orlando, home entertainment systems and movie tickets for Lucasfilms’ Episode III.

Color-changing Twisted Cheetos turn consumers’ mouths “Darth Vader Dark” or “Yoda Green” (temporarily); the special variety is available through May.

Doritos displays feature Darth Vader and Yoda with the tagline “Taste the Intensity.” Separate multi-brand displays also feature Yoda, but a different tagline: “Bring Home the Stars of Summer.” An early-May FSI with a light saber-bearing Yoda, headlined “Light up your summer!” touts Cheetos, Tostitos, Fritos and Lays Stax chips.

Meanwhile, Tostitos Restaurant Style chips bow nationally on May 16 with its first TV advertising in 10 years. Two 15-second spots carry the tagline “Share Something Good” and tout Tostitos Restaurant Style salsa and Tostitos Salsa Con Queso as well as the reformulated chips. National sampling and couponing supports. GSD&M, Austin, TX, handles ads.

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