AWARD CATEGORY SMS/MMS Mobile Marketing
CAMPAIGN Doritos X-13D
AGENCY ipsh and The Marketing Arm
CLIENTipsh and The Marketing Arm
What’s one way to sell a new chip? Keep people guessing the flavor.
That was Frito-Lay’s strategy when it rolled out a limited-time flavor for Doritos last May. The mystery taste: Cheeseburger.
The Marketing Arm, the lead agency on the Doritos account, brought in its wireless marketing arm ipsh to develop a mobile element and call-to-action that prompted people to name the product via text messaging.
The product, dubbed X-13D, was cleverly packaged in a black bag with a science lab-like label. Messaging on pack drove people to taste the product and suggest a name via cellphone to the code X-13D to 24477, or to enter it online at www.x13d.doritos.com.
People who sent the code received details about Doritos’ Flavor Project. Each submission earned participants a sweepstakes entry for a chance to win one of 100 grand prizes: a year’s supply of Doritos and the chance to assist in the brand’s research and development on future flavors.
“We know Doritos consumers are passionate about flavor and they like new experiences,” says Jeremy Tucker, associate brand manager for Frito-Lay North America. “We challenged ourselves to use some non-traditional tactics to engage our consumer across all touch points.”
Frito-Lay quietly released the unnamed product on eBay to start the buzz before it hit the market. And soon the frenzy began.
Bloggers began talking up the chip on various sites, trying to determine the flavor. Guesses focused on McDonald’s Big Mac. Other enthusiasts thought X-13D referred to the 13th letter in the alphabet — M — as in X-MD: “Experiment-McDonald’s.”
“We realized there was an online conversation going on that created a kind of conspiracy theory,” says Lori Sutherland, account director at The Marketing Arm, whose agency handled the promotion and prize fulfillment. “People were trying to figure out if that was a clue.”
“It really took on a life of its own,” adds Bryon Morrison, president of ipsh.
The campaign generated 150,530 participants, of whom more than a third, 57,840 unique mobile users, interacted with the campaign, and 43,467 submitted names.
The cryptic package no doubt played a role.
“You had this whole creative look and feel of mystery and intrigue,” Sutherland adds. “That drew people in.”
Beyond packaging, the texting angle spurred interaction with the brand.
“Mobile was a great way to activate the program and give consumers the ability to engage with the brand,” Morrison says.
While not everyone enjoyed the cheeseburger flavor, the product still flew off the store shelves during its six-week run. It sold triple the amount of a typical limited-edition flavor, Tucker says.
For now, Frito-Lay has no plans to bring back the flavor. But if it does, “We have a lot of creative names to choose from,” Tucker says. “My favorite is Big Mac Attack.” — Amy Johannes
IDEA TO STEAL
TAKE A RISK
When it comes to launching a winning campaign, it may mean taking a bit of a risk. Frito-Lay knows that all too well. Not too many companies will go out on a limb to keep “secret” a new product flavor.
“Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there,” says Jeremy Tucker, associate brand manager, Frito-Lay, North America.
It’s one way you show confidence in your brand, as well as trust in your target consumer, he says.
Network
