Frito-Lay Is Betting on Women's Soccer

The highly anticipated 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, kicking off across Australia and New Zealand this week, portends to be the most-watched women’s pro sporting event in the world—and Frito-Lay is staking its claim in sponsorship.

Through a multi-brand approach, the company signed on as a North American Tournament Supporter and Official USA Snack of the event, marking its largest-ever investment in women’s sports. The sponsorship follows its support of the men’s World Cup in 2022, as the first salty-snack brand collaboration with FIFA.

Frito-Lay launched a star-studded commercial, Taste of Greatness, that brings together current women’s soccer stars as well as past icons, like Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, Brandi Chastain, Julie Ertz and Crystal Dunn. The spot will run from July 20-August 20, the duration of the tournament.

The snack foods maker emphasizes fan engagement in its campaign and will serve up limited-edition FIFA Women’s World Cup-branded packaging across its chips products, including Doritos, Ruffles, Cheetos and Lay’s potato chips. The Cracker Jack brand launched Cracker Jill in 2022 to celebrate women breaking barriers in sports, and the limited-edition packaging is available in select retailers across the nation.

Social components also comprise the effort. Frito-Lay has partnered with soccer media company COPA90 and will chronicle the tourney by capturing content with fans across the World Cup’s 32 teams and sharing highlights via social videos. Additionally, the company is hosting a sweepstakes on Twitter—#LaysGOALdenGiveaway—with prize giveaways like a trip to Sydney, Australia.

Brett O’Brien, CMO of Frito-Lay North America, detailed the brand’s support of the event.

Muse: Why is now a good time to support the Women’s FIFA World Cup?

Brett O’Brien: It’s no secret that more and more brands are either starting to invest or expanding their investment in women’s sports, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup presents a unique opportunity for us to continue to expand Frito-Lay’s footprint in this space. On the heels of our support of last year’s FIFA World Cup, we understand the tremendous value soccer brings to athletes and fans. It offers a sense of connection and community, uniting and even bonding people from all walks of life.

What is your main goal in supporting the event?

To not only celebrate soccer fandom but also engage with fans while creating opportunities for more players at all levels—and, of course, be a part of the most-watched women’s sporting event in the world.

Can you talk about the importance of such big branding deals being made to support women’s soccer—women’s sports in general—and how the landscape is evolving?

Women’s sports are continuing to grow, and we’re seeing more brands continue to invest in them. Our Ruffles brand has been the Official Chip of the WNBA for a few years, and our Cracker Jack brand launched the Cracker Jill program last year to celebrate the amazing women who have and continue to break down barriers in sports. We’re excited to recognize the young women who are changing the face of the game.

It’s important for brands to see the value and invest in a product that continues to deliver.

Can you talk about the multi-brand approach?

What’s powerful about this sponsorship is that it enables us to feature the breadth of our portfolio, showcasing the variety we provide to meet the snacking needs of every fan. In addition to limited-edition FIFA Women’s World Cup-branded packaging for our most popular brands, we’re thrilled to have so many brands be part of this campaign.

Marias Gamesa is the official cookie of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and is partnering with professional soccer player Sofia Huerta for its new “Love from Everywhere” campaign. In the commercial, Huerta reflects on the sense of love, pride and the warmth of family that Marias Gamesa cookies bring her, even when she’s competing halfway across the world.

Can you elaborate on the importance of the multi-brand approach at a sporting event such as this? Why is this now integral to your strategy?

The FIFA Women’s World Cup only comes around once every four years, and there will be so many eyes from around the world watching these women compete during the month-long tournament. With this platform and this exposure, it’s a missed opportunity to not maximize the number of brands that activate at this time.

What’s your main message to consumers with this effort?

We want to get the world ready for the greatness of what is sure to be an incredible event and engage with fans to inspire the next generation of athletes.