Lessons from Doritos flavoured Mountain Dew.
By Amber Hudson and Luke Sklar
We’ve all got that weird, verging on inedible dish that “OMG… you have GOT to try!” Mine is peanut butter, iceberg lettuce and mayo on white bread. Seriously, you do have to try it.
Recently PepsiCo revealed their latest idea: Dewitos – Doritos flavoured Mountain Dew. [Gag].
And while it didn’t break the internet like Kim’s bum tried to, it generated online buzz for the two PepsiCo brands (plus mentions on The Colbert Report and The Ellen Show). And earlier this year Lay’s launched the nonsensical cappuccino flavored potato chip to much online chatter. All this goes to show that these days it’s not enough to be strange or novel but rather you just might have to be disgusting.
Whether it’s your own concoction or a brand’s gross-out combo, it’s not really about getting others to actually try it, is it? It’s about making a point: we’re fearless! Creative! Unique! (And in the case of PepsiCo, it’s to promote Call of Duty where Mountain Dew and Doritos are prominently featured). In this desperate need-for-attention economy the ante is constantly being upped. And we say go for it. If you’ve got a beloved product and what you do with it fits the brand then get out there and generate that buzz…and maybe even get a niche cult following while you’re at it.