Longtime munchies staple Doritos recently unveiled its new “Late Night” products that include the flavors Tacos at Midnight and Last Call Jalepeno Popper. The names, accompanied by a commercial, evoke a new, edgy vibe—a definite departure from Doritos’ picnic-friendly competitors. The transformation doesn’t stop there: the brand is teaming up with artists that include blink-182 and Big Boi, who are part of the line up for the Doritos Late Night virtual concert. To access the concert, fans must point a special symbol (located on the back of all Doritos Late Night bags) at their web cam. When approved, fans can personalize their experience by holding, moving and shaking the bag.
This isn’t the first time music has made an appearance in nighttime staples. Last year Denny’s, recognizing its role as a late-night hangout, created the “Rockstar Menu,” as part of the Denny’s Allnighter program. Menu selections are available from 10 pm to 5 am and are created by bands, including Joel and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte (“Band of Burritos”) and Rascal Flatts (“Unstoppable Breakfast”). The Allnighter program is topped off by Adopt-a-Band, which offers free meals to artists on the rise and invites bands to use Denny’s as a meet-and-greet location for artists and their fans post concert.
Both Doritos and Denny’s recognize the value of their younger, hipper audiences, but which one is doing it better? Doritos certainly has the advantage of technology, a powerful lure for Generation Y. Its virtual concert provides incentives for snackers to log on to Doritos’ web site, but the relative newness of the campaign—it was unveiled this past April—means that results are still pending. Doritos may have the upper hand on the web, but Denny’s has the advantage of being located on the physical plane. By providing young hipsters with a late night hang out s that features rock-themed dishes, Denny’s isn’t just creating a campaign; it’s creating a persona.
Denny’s understanding of their consumers is allowing them to forge a real connection, one that Doritos is trying to mimic. But will this virtual reality drive sales in the real world? Their technology may be cutting-edge (the US Postal Service is using it to show consumers what size box they’ll need), but will rock concerts be valuable enough to earn the loyalty of consumers? Or will this virtual reality provide only temporary gains in sales until the “hipness” factor recedes?
--Guest Contributor: Megan Baker, Medill Undergraduate Student
