The connection isn’t immediately clear. Just what does a crime drama, known for its brutal violence and depiction of the drug trade, have in common with a better-for-you snack?
Honestly, no one cares. All that matters is that somehow, Frito-Lay convinced Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston to be Jesse and Walt one more time, a decade after Breaking Bad ended. Oh, and don’t forget Tuco Salamanca.
The gag here is, of course, swapping out the meth for air-popped chip snacks. Frito-Lay couldn’t have come up with a better strategy to gain attention for its lesser-known, but fastest-growing, snack brand.
Super Bowl advertising isn’t an exact science, but tapping into nostalgia for a cult favorite pop-culture hit is a well-trodden Big Game formula. Remember 2020’s Jeep Groundhog Day spot with Bill Murray? Or last year, when Chevy recreated the Sopranos intro, T-Mobile reunited Scrubs stars, and GM went full Wayne’s World with Dr. Evil?
PopCorners teased the spot more than a week ago, which got millions of views, as well as millions of people asking PopCornwhat? Frito-Lay acquired the brand in 2019, and is clearly banking on the Big Game to raise even more awareness. Frito-Lay North America’s chief marketing officer, Brett O’Brien, told me last week that the value of making a Super Bowl spot goes way beyond what’s seen on game day—from teasers, to social, to dropping the ad early, it’s all about playing the (audience) field.
“Do things on TikTok, do things in the metaverse, create things that make it more of an event that carries over much more than one spot,” said O’Brien. “It gets different types of people engaging in different ways, thinking about what you’re going to unveil.”
Maybe next time, they can make it happen in a Los Pollos Hermanos parking lot.
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