Doritos is bringing back its beloved "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, in an aim to find its next iconic commercial for next year's Big Game.
Originally running from 2006 to 2016, the first-of-its-kind campaign invited creative fans to prove that they could create a better Super Bowl ad than Doritos.
For the 2025 Super Bowl, the brand is raising the stakes once again by reinstating the challenge, offering fans and amateur filmmakers the chance to see their creation come to life at the NFL's biggest event.
This comes, of course, with a cash prize of $1 million.
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Kicking off today, the promotion will accept submissions through November 11. One winning commercial will be chosen through a rigorous process:
- A qualified panel of judges will pick out the top 25 submissions, one for each year Doritos has aired an ad at the Super Bowl.
- Three finalists will be announced on a website in January, where fans can vote for their favorite.
- The creator of the ad with the highest number of votes will receive $1 million, along with an all-expense-paid trip to New Orleans to watch the Big Game on February 9, 2025.
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PepsiCo Foods North America SVP of Marketing Tina Mahal discussed the campaign's heritage in a press release, highlighting its uniqueness when it was first launched nearly 20 years ago.
She emphasized the company's belief in being bold and taking risks to bring out the best ideas in their fans, expressing excitement for the incoming entries now that creative tools are more accessible than ever.
The campaign is perhaps one of the greatest customer engagement strategies in the history of advertising, creating unforgettable experiences for participating fans while increasing brand recognition.
Crashing Into the Industry
The campaign's 10-year run produced some of the most iconic Super Bowl ads of all time and placed in the top five commercials on USA Today's Ad Meter every single year, coming in first place four times.
Some of the creators eventually went on to become industry professionals.
According to Ben Callner, creator of the 2013 Doritos ad "Goat 4 Sale," the opportunity changed the trajectory of his career and allowed him to pursue a career in directing.
"After my commercial, 'Goat 4 Sale,' ended up winning and airing during the big game, it truly changed the trajectory of my career. I'm so glad Doritos is bringing this campaign back and giving that same chance to other people," he said.
Callner returned to help Doritos direct two special spots for this year's iteration of the campaign, referencing two iconic ads from its history.
The first spot sees the return of Callner's titular goat, who watches the ad on an old TV monitor.
Outraged at a fan comment criticizing the original film, the goat challenges fans to create a better ad.
The second spot is an homage to "Slap," a hilarious and iconic Doritos ad that ran in 2010 for Super Bowl XLIV.
It begins with actor and director Dion Lack, watching the original film he created and starred in on an old TV.
With a handful of Cool Ranch Doritos, he relives the memory of being slapped in the face by a little kid.
However, the slap doesn't compare to the pain caused by the "unfunny" comments the ad received 14 years ago.
The spot ends with Lack inviting the audience to try and make a funnier ad.
Doritos also launched a campaign for the 2024 Super Bowl, opting for a celebrity partnership with "Wednesday" actress Jenna Ortega.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
