Today’s guest post is written by NCPRSA board member, Robert Carver.
You know the drill – create a super fantastic Doritos TV ad, send it to Doritos, get it viewed online by like a zillion people who vote for – YOU – then see your handiwork aired during the Super Bowl. In the process, you take home a million bucks and, along with a second lucky winner, get to work on the new movie “Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
Too easy.
Hold on, Mr. DeMille. You’re not quite ready for your close-up. Many have tried and failed to win the coveted contest – witness the WaPo blogger with the North Carolina-connected husband who’s spent countless hours and, presumably, a Doritos delivery vanload of money trying to secure his star on the cheesy snack’s walk of fame. “Crash the Super Bowl VIII” has been no different.
Now, after the zillion views and votes, “Time Machine” has won, beating out the dog-riding kid wrangler, wrongly-accused ostrich, nacho cheese-covered office guy and the – insert collective “ewwwwww!” here – finger-cleaning glory hole (one wonders what videos the producers of this one were watching during the creative process), what do the gurus at Doritos do to continue riding the bow wave of PR and marketing success?
Clearly, the Doritos brand has positioned itself as a fun American stalwart. People just like these tasty triangles and the lifestyle they represent. Though the earned media coverage enjoyed in conjunction with the Super Bowl itself will likely ebb in the days following the big game, the brand team needs to continue to capitalize on the worldwide and interactive conversation it’s started with its customers.
So, how to keep them engaged? Some possibilities in no particular order.
1. Doritos “Crash” Studio – Doritos holds another contest. To enter, you submit an entry number found on the inside of Doritos bags online at a contest web site. Winners attend a “crash” course in video production taught by the two guys who did the online tips video. Winners also get the latest laptop outfitted with video editing software and a suitable video camera with accessories. The best student projects get posted online and voted on by like the same zillion folks and millions more of their friends with the winner winning more big bucks and having their ad air in a national campaign.
2. Cheesiest “Crash” Video – Hold, yeah, another contest. This time for the cheesiest “Crash” videos. Online voting, online conversation about, you get the picture.
3. Behind-The-Scenes at “Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron” – Follow the winners of the “Crash” contest around, maybe a live stream of some elements, with attendant online chats with the winners who relate their experiences. Post a completed behind-the-scenes video to YouTube and invite people to the conversation.
4. You at the Zoo – Since a good percentage of the finalist ads had animals in them, how about a photo contest with customers sending in pictures of themselves with animals – and, of course, Doritos.
5. “Crash” Diet – Doritos and fitness. Doritos can encourage a healthy lifestyle focused on responsible eating in a campaign to help fight obesity and its associated conditions and illnesses.
Just some thoughts. The possibilities are endless! Let the creative juices “crash” into one another and churn out the best ideas. Oh, and pop open a bag of Doritos as you enjoy the juice! If you were hired, what would you do?