‘Do us a Flavor’ is a global campaign that saw the public choose the next flavor of Lay’s chips across different markets. Introduced to the Gulf region, Lay’s took a different approach and launched its new flavor in an unconventional manner that engaged the public while respectfully handling the culture of the Middle East. The big idea for the integrated campaign, is centering the consumer in the heart of the campaign. The story stemmed from insights into the local culture of matchmaking, also driving a consumer behavior into this marketing mix. Lay’s created the character Liza Lay’s to front the campaign, with a story built around her search for a husband, who would be the next flavor. Consumers in KSA, UAE and 12 other Gulf/Levant countries were urged to submit their favorite flavor. An astonishing 269,863 submissions later, Liza chose pizza as her match. Asking the public to help choose a flavor and offer their opinion was a business first for Lay’s in the region, and proved to be a highly successful strategy, exceeding all business targets and expectations.

Particular challenges were faced in the key market of KSA, where creative activity is restricted, the market is driven by advertising, and unpaid media is hard to achieve in great volume. Additionally, in a market where most interaction with women is forbidden, careful consideration had to be given to all mechanics to ensure the campaign reached all audiences.

The campaign lasted five months with PR rolled across the Gulf targeting mainly UAE/KSA, where Liza Lay’s was the leading character of the campaign.

Fans submitted new chips flavor suggestions across multiple media channels and 400,000 special packs were produced to launch the campaign alongside a website and digital outdoor submissions counter integrating digital, social media, TV and radio.

Lay’s created webisodes featuring flavors impressing Liza, and gossip articles on online platforms.

A ‘create your own pack’ app and online banners resulted in double the expected click-throughs (0.36% vs. 0.18% industry average).

Guerilla stunts alerted the media with pizza boxes delivered to them containing press kits and packs of the new pizza flavor chips followed by a countdown announcement from Chef Osama on major TV channels.

A female potato proved too tasty for strict Saudi culture where certain elements needed to be amended.

Asking the public to choose a flavor was a business first for Lay’s in the region, and proved to be a highly successful strategy, smashing all business goals and expectations:

Volume growth: +40% from Jan-May 2012 (target 15%)

Volume share of salty snacks: +2.8pts over six months (target +1%)

Most brand health metrics doubled digits in a six-month period:

Brand loved (+11; target +5)

Brand trusted (+16; target +5)

Great taste (+15; target +3)

Flavors variety (+13)

269,863 total flavor submissions

22.8m earned impressions (99% positive, 96% included key messages)

Facebook page became the most interactive/fastest growing community in the region

Within the first two weeks, the page gained 80,000 new Facebook fans

60% more Facebook fans in a single week

430,211 new Facebook fans (against a target of 250,000)

108,427 likes

56,666 comments

6.87m monthly unique users viewed Facebook page

12 videos uploaded on YouTube and Facebook

243,000 channel views, against a target of 200,000

825 gained Twitter followers