Frito-Lay Blazes Authentic Story in Sustainability

By Robert Wheatley

Note: periodically we recognize great ideas and campaigns that transcend category conventions and challenge notions about successful ways to go to market. Our next candidate for Trailblazing strategy: Frito Lay SunChips brand.

Here’s a brand story that just keeps getting better the more carefully you look at it. A story that helps an existing business disrupt the go-to-market paradigm in its own category and in the process, we believe, create a unique point of advantage.

Frito-Lay learns that their best SunChip customers prefer the brand because it presents a healthier option. So far so good. They also learn their core consumers have an interest in what’s healthier for the planet, too. You can feel the green coming, but hold on, there’s some rich thinking alongside that helps elevate this to Trailblazer status.

Sustainability

Frito-lay pioneers a new packaging material that is 100% biodegradable. In 14 weeks the bag can go from snack carrier to compost. This new innovation is launched on Earth Day, taking advantage of the prevailing media attention on efforts to protect the planet.

The first thing we like about this is disruption. The SunChip brand has been around for a while. Besides flavor line extensions, it is what it is and has a following. So here comes fresh thinking and news for the brand that offers an array of extension possibilities. The compostable bag is precedent setting, right in tune with consumer sentiment and delivers a newfound emotional payoff when making a purchase.

Second the program builds what we call a ‘higher purpose’ or strategic mission underneath that adds a relate-able lifestyle connection to the brand relationship. Finally there’s also synergy with a new parallel messaging strategy Frito has launched in its product portfolio to convey the naturalness and simplicity of what’s in the bag from an ingredient standpoint.

This is summed up in a relevant tag line: Little Things Can Change The World. Healthier Planet. Healthier You.

Demonstration

But wait there’s more… Frito understands that street cred is important and actions speak so much louder than words. So to enhance credibility for the entire proposition and heap on top an on-going litany of leverage-able events to repeat the story, a partnership is created with National Geographic . The brand is co-sponsoring a “Green Effect” contest that will award $20,000 to each of five best ideas for creating green changes at the community level. This is visible demonstration or “walk the walk and talk the talk” kind of behavior. The program will undoubtedly create publicity extensions both online and off that drive awareness and interest for SunChips.

Oh, by the way, the plant in Arizona where SunChips are made – it operates on solar-generated, renewable fuels and recycled water. Brilliant.

As we continue to say, brands that matter do so because they offer greater meaning and value to their users. Bravo Frito-Lay.