Doritos Moves From 'Mobile-First" to "Mobile-Only"
Doritos' first mobile-only campaign centers on 3D social media influencer videos consumers can access by scanning chips, meaning that the promotion requires a purchase to participate.
“Mobile-first” is a marketing term that gets thrown around often, but Doritos is taking it a step further, reaching Millennials with a mobile-only campaign.
Doritos has teamed up with social media influencers, who have created videos promoting new, limited-edition flavors. The only way consumers can access that content, along with a sneak peek of the upcoming Sharknado 3 movie, is by scanning a Dorito – an actual corn chip, not a QR code on a bag – with their smartphones. However, to unlock the content, the Dorito must be one of the new flavors: Jacked 3D Bacon Cheddar Ranch or Jacked 3D Jalapeño Pepper Jack.
Myles Kleeger, chief revenue officer of mobile marketing automation platform Appboy, says the nature of the promotion illustrates the value of mobile. According to Millward Brown, the market research division of London agency WPP, Millennials spend 172 minutes daily using the Internet or apps on their phones, as opposed to 60 minutes on tablets and 93 minutes on computers, so a mobile-only approach makes sense. But more than that, he thinks the campaign is clever because it takes a purchase to participate.
“Try it once, and even if you never create a video or send it around to your friends, it’s a brilliant way to do a sampling,” Kleeger says. “You’re forcing people to try the product and you’re using content as the currency to encourage them. It’s better than sampling because you’re not giving [Doritos] away for free.”
The content is made by popular influencers such as YouTube gamer Freddy Wong and Vine magician Zach King. To keep with the 3D theme, the videos are 3D as well and require special glasses, which are free with purchase.
Kleeger thinks its smart of Doritos to keep this campaign on the mobile web, as opposed to in an app. If people don’t already have a positive impression toward a particular product, they’re less inclined to download an app.
“Doing it through the mobile web is a better way to generate buzz because it’s quicker and easier for people to participate,” he says. “In this promotion, it doesn’t need to be that the relationship is formed through the experience. Scanning the chip, seeing the video, sharing the video on social media and tasting the chip accomplished the mission, as opposed to a classic approach with database marketing. By using the mobile web, [Doritos also] doesn’t have to worry about different platforms.”
Kleeger thinks the fact that Doritos, a consumer packaged goods brand that isn’t driven by e-commerce, did a promotion like this speaks volumes.
“I think these mobile-only programs are going to be the centerpiece of what we see going forward and traditional media channels are going to be what we use to drive awareness of them,” he says. “Invariably, brands are going to realize that.”
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