When Doritos partnered with Burger King to launch Flame Grilled Whopper Flavour Doritos, it was an iconic collaboration. But with 1 in 3 FMCG product launches failing, we needed to cut through. Over 60% UK adults report they rarely pay attention to billboards, so we knew this was a space we could make our mark.

We wanted to make a statement with OOH that grabbed attention and landed the unique attributes that made this collab so desirable. We had to combine Doritos’ bold brand, our distinctive triangle crisps and Burger King’s flame grilling expertise to create a moment that got everyone talking about the partnership.

So at a Burger King in the Northeast - where the fewest people in the UK pay attention to billboards - while they flame grilled Whoppers inside, we flame grilled a 200 square foot Doritos billboard outside.

We had just 30 seconds to flame grill the billboard and one chance to capture it.

Execution had to be flawless.

We needed to control speed and position of the burn, leaving our iconic triangle chips visible until the last moment. We tested 10+ types of paper and created an entirely new paragel formula with meticulous attention to its application. 25 test burns were conducted over 4 different billboard sizes.

After multiple design rounds, a custom mobile unit was built ensuring adaptability for location and resilience to wind and rain (both of which were present on the day).

Full environmental, health and safety assessments were undertaken, particularly given the public location. The position of the billboard was chosen to maximise impact but minimize danger and disruption, with a private fire crew standing by.

We used AdGreen to measure environmental impact and committed a percentage of budget to offset carbon usage.

The Doritos Flaming Billboard smashed KPIs generating nearly 820 million impressions (vs. 500m target) across over 185 pieces of coverage. National coverage across ITV1, Heart Radio, the Daily Express, Daily Star, The Mirror, The Sun and The Metro drove hype about the “lip-smacking collaboration” and reinforced perceptions of Doritos as the boldest brand in snacking.

Social set ablaze with over 700 article shares and content was boosted to reach over 10 million people. In total over £1.8mm of advertising was earned.

2 weeks later, 7mm over 18s in the UK still remember the stunt. 1 in 3 Gen Zs (a key Doritos target) saw the billboard, with a whopping 94% understanding the collaboration. 55% of Gen Z and 20% of the UK public are now more likely to try the product.

And most importantly, in its first week, Whopper Doritos became the bestselling Doritos flavour in the UK (UROS).