As PepsiCo has taken Lay’s under its wings, the potato chips brand has succeeded in dominating the chips market since 1940. 83 years and counting, the brand is loved by all ages of the population globally. As years went by, Lay’s stood with its head held high in the list of the best potato chips ever. In settings like friends’ get-togethers, or house parties, these days, a packet of chips opens up without any doubts.
A favorite snack of all, it is the most common chips brand that exists globally. Its crunchy sound due to the big size, is the main highlight which gives the consumers a feel of having chips. The taste is so tempting, that you cannot have just one. It stands by their slogan which is “Betcha Can’t Eat Just One”. Try it for yourself!
Named after the surname of founder Herman Lay, the brand’s main agenda is to be available globally at every nook and corner. With 200 flavors in total, the distribution of the same is implemented region-wise. Flavors from barbeque chips to lemon-flavored chips to cream and onion ones, the diverse options have been curated after a deep and considerable amount of constant research.
Good taste with quality was the main agenda when it conducted the research and surveys. Lay’s has a legacy of onboard global celebrity figures as its brand ambassadors.
How it became the best potato chips brand?
Do Us a Flavor Campaign: PepsiCo launched this campaign in July 2012 at Times Square by establishing a temporary store and merchandising its 22 Lay’s Chips flavors. The idea was a huge hit on Facebook. They created a Facebook Page that allowed people to share their proposals for the new flavor they’ve thought of. PepsiCo partnered with Facebook to replace the “Like” button with the “I’d Eat That” button for some time.
Celeb endorsements & event sponsorships: From Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Parineeti Chopra, Ronaldo, and Wasim Akram all of them have endorsed Lay’s potato chips some time or the other.
Controversy faced:
The famous controversy of the brand where the brand sued a number of Indian farmers, claiming they had grown a potato variety FC5 which only Lay’s had a patent to cultivate. Later it so happened, that the Indian Law doesn’t grant any Intellectual Protection Rights to seeds of plants. Resulting in the case was dismissed by the Indian Supreme Court when a number of supporters came in favor of the Indian farmers.
(credit – Gabriel Zimmer)
A number of social activists, especially women came forward to support the farmers. In response, PepsiCo filed a revocation of the patent against the farmers and the women who were in support of the farmers. The Delhi High Court did not feel the need to address the accusations of public interest violation by PepsiCo. Later, PepsiCo removed all the lawsuits against the farmers and encouraged a peaceful environment.
Impulsive ad campaigns :
Lay’s Gourmet: Lay’s amalgamated with the Bollywood actor, Saif Ali Khan, to endorse the royal segment Lay’s Gourmet. A perfect celeb to select for a new segment. As everyone knows Saif Ali Khan is the royal heir of the Pataudi castle. Lay’s has mindfully onboarded him into their TVC. The brand claims that it started a gourmet segment to introduce its slow-cooked, elegant, and rich crunched bite. So no better choice other than on-boarding the Nawab of Bollywood, isn’t it? To depict the regalness and the rich heritage of both the Pataudi Nawab and their own flavor of their gourmet segment, Lay’s formulated an ad keeping in mind a similar regard.
Happiness is Simple: This ad campaign of Lay’s meant spreading smiles and happiness. The company requested its customers to send photos of themselves holding the packet such that it depicts the customer as smiling. The smiling image was already imprinted on the packet itself. A charming initiative by Lay’s to engage the customers, as the brand decided to share these photos via a photo montage on the website. A simple message is that the brand spreads happiness as it is consumed when the environment is happy and cheerful.
Passport to Flavor: In this campaign, Lay’s offered four delicious new flavors to customers with a chance to win some travel-related prizes or trips to exotic destinations. Flavors introduced were Brazilian, Chinese, Greek, and Indian. In the respective regions, these flavors were a hit and widely accepted by people. Customers were invited to try these flavors and given opportunities to win a chance to visit these countries. It naturally brings the world together and guides us to explore the flavors that are specific to a single continent or a country, others get a chance to experience the taste of diverse flavors.
Taste of America: In anticipation of targeting millennials, Lay’s Potato Chips Brand started 8 new flavors. As to creating excitement and curiosity, the potato chips brand targeted the youth who visit food festivals often. Introducing these flavors as a limited-edition segment, they also used “Fear Of Missing Out” (FOMO) as a shield. The youth are always on the lookout for something new and like to explore the same. They were also allowed to share the images of the product on their own social media handles while tagging Lay’s chips.
Snacky Competitor’s Waiting in Line:
(credit – lay’s)
Dorito’s:
Among the competitors of Lay’s Chips Brand, Dorito’s is a tortilla chip brand by PepsiCo. As the brand is always finding opportunities for spreading happiness, it established a manufacturing unit in the “happiest place on earth”, Disneyland. A ready-to-eat food item, it always tops the preferences of the audience, after Lay’s. It has created a craze amongst the general public, as it is the first choice of people.
Pringles:
This one is an American chip brand, which was sold in over 140 countries, owned by Kellogg’s. Founded in 1967, it was marketed by the famous Procter & Gamble (P&G) in the United States but was later sold to Kellogg’s in around 2012. The brand also faced the situation of customers complaining of air in the packet, head-on. The brand explained the need to do so at their end, to maintain the quality and the crunch of the chips.
Nestle:
Nestle has a wide range of products, from, coffee, tea, baby food, and dairy products, and much more. The brand operates in 194 countries with factory setups numbering up to 450. It employs 3,39,000 people for smooth functioning. Operation management is also a huge win-win for the brand. The most famous product Maggi has topped the charts of the quickest recipe. With its wide variety of other products, Nestle is the most loved competitor of the Lay’s potato chips brand.
Kellogg’s:
Kellogg’s is again, similar to Nestle, a multiple-products company, based in the United States. Recognized as the world’s largest cereal company, the brand has crossed more than $ 15 billion worth of sales. It is considered the world’s second-largest manufacturer of savory snacks, cookies, and crackers. As cereal is the most loved breakfast in the United States, the brand is the largest producer of the same and still remains at the top of the list, while being a competitor for Lay’s potato Chips Brand.
Lay’s Logo:
(credit – Lay’s)
The logo of Lay’s Chips represents energy, power, and passion. It instigates and generates a feeling of temptation and hunger. It is a psychological trick played by many brands in the food and beverage industry. Also, the packaging of Lay’s potato chips is colorful, with one color for each flavor. The brand has redesigned its logo several times before in order to attract prospects and existing audiences. In the logo, the name of the founder Herman Lay remains as it is, due to the popularity of the brand. The gradient yellow-orange circle symbolizes the sun and potato.
Meaning:
The brightness of the logo represents a happy life, a productive life, and stability as the logo has undergone a lot of small changes, without changing the main theme. All this represents a crisp, well-made, and appetizing snack. In front of the yellow circle is the red banner with a white inscription, which draws most of the attention. The use of the rich colors and the emblem made as a whole form the logo in totality.
Who made the logo?
A firm called Landor Associates created the logo first for Frito Lay, it was made by one of the staff members. The yellow ball and a red ribbon began to be used in 1997, the first time the logo was used. Frito Lay had a similar logo at that time which was refined and a bit modified for Lay’s. So, it is safe to say that the logo was made by Landor associates.
Lay’s stats to look for:
Annual Turnover: 1.2 Billion USD
Annual Revenue: 800 Million USD
Sold in a total number of Countries: 200
Brand Value: $8.6 Billion
Number of Employees: 60,000
Market Cap: $222.8 Billion
Conclusion:
Lay’s is a globally popular brand that is on the conscience of people when they have to gather together. It is the trendsetter in the potato chips category. As in today’s times it is the original snack and will always be. A lot of new brands started coming up after it made its entry into the market. As it is looked up as an unhealthy snack item, the company introduced a new gourmet segment, wherein its chips are baked not fried, which makes it healthier to consume.
A few incidences like boycotting the snack have happened in yesteryears, so it has become alert on that front. Being the brand that serves chips in multiple countries, it continues to innovate and carries on its research.
