Night Time is the Right Time for Doritos

I believe great brands have a common trait: They are both timeless and contemporary.  Doritos is one of Frito-Lay’s brands that best fits this description, and Late Night -- the brand’s latest launch -- combines technology innovation and marketing magic to achieve both the timelessness of the Doritos name and the contemporary flavors that consumers crave.   

Frito-Lay launched Doritos nationally in 1966 (before my time at Frito-Lay), using superior manufacturing technology and marketing savvy to develop a great-tasting corn-based chip, flavored with cheese seasoning and named Doritos Nacho Cheese.  Before the launch, there was no such thing as “nacho cheese” flavoring in snack foods -- nachos was its own food!

In the last few years, Doritos’ growth has been fueled by further developments in sophisticated flavor technology and consumer marketing innovation.  We launched Collisions -- bags with two different flavors of chips inside -- as well as the Crash the Super Bowl consumer programs that encouraged Millennials (people born between 1980 and 1995) to take control and create an ad that could air during the Super Bowl. And this year, the winning consumer-created ad took the top spot on the USA TODAY Ad Meter!

It’s clear to me why Doritos is an American icon and a top-selling brand in supermarkets and convenience stores.  I believe that in 2009, Doritos will continue attracting long-time fans and grow in popularity with new fans as Doritos Late Night hits the market.  Late Night is available in two flavors, Tacos at Midnight and Last Call Jalapeno Popper, and both use a seasoning technology called “flavor plus.”

"Flavor plus has been a big success internationally for Frito-Lay, and now we're bringing it to the United States," says Michael Fox, the Marketing Manager on Doritos.  "Late Night delivers a rich multi-sensory experience -- there is a deep aroma combined with a multi-layered taste, the ‘flavor plus.’  In Tacos at Midnight, you can taste the sour cream, the meat and then lettuce –- the layers of flavor you taste when eating a taco.  We think it's the perfect snack for late-night studying."

To market Doritos Late Night, Michael says the TV advertising captures the inner-most part of the personality that tends to be revealed only at night.  In one TV ad, a beautiful young woman is driving through the city, and you see the city transform from day-time to night-time with each bite of Late Night she takes.  The new advertising starts at the end of April and will air on MTV, BET, Spike and other networks that Millennials watch.

While Doritos Late Night flavors have only been in the market for a few weeks, the word is quickly spreading among Doritos lovers.  There is a buzz already on Twitter, and Frito-Lay has received numerous compliments on the consumer hot line.  Tell me what you think of Doritos Late Night.

Comments

[Julie Lahn]

I would love to have a Taco flavor similar to that of the 1970's/1980's. That was the BEST!!!! None of the current taco flavors resemble that one. Do I have any hope at all?

[fan in maryland]

I love the Late Night Taco!!!! best dorito ever!Please don't stop making this one!!!
I also liked the old taco flavor as well. I hope the Jalapeno pooper is as great as this!

[Kyle Perkins]

Please bring back the taco or the taco with sour cream flavor from the seventies.I would mow lawns as a kid to earn enough money for a large bag of Taco flavor Doritos and A Soda. Nothing better! Thanks KP

[A to the H]

I was never a big fan of Doritos, but Late Night Jalapeno Poppers are the BEST!

It is the perfect chip... I just take a bite, crunch once into smaller pieces and let the flavor settle...

[Anita]

I thought the Late Night chips sounded good BUT, when I tried them (Tacos @ Midnight & Jalapeno Poppers), I was not impressed with the flavor at all.

[Lisa]

I have to say...I never really bought a bag of
Doritos just to "eat" them. I only purchased
them before for parties, etc.

However, I LOVE the Tacos at Midnight flavor and
will buy that one again and again!

[Dawn]

Why can't you do "Retro Doritos" and bring back the "original" taste of the 70's and 80's. Retro is the in thing lately, in music and movies why not in chips. Us children of the 70's and 80's want the original taste back when Doritos had a more taco flavor with a "hint" of cheese. Think about it

[William Lees]

Last call Jalapeno Poppers are the absolute
Bomb Diggity! I love them! I almost finished off a whole bag by myself in one night. That's how awesome I think they are.

[jca]

Do you know the name of the song used in the new Doritos Late Night TV commercial that you mentioned in your weblog post?

[E]

What's the name of the song in the commercial with the girl and day turning into night?

[bryan]

what is the song in the doritos late night commercial?

[Kristin H]

Re: jcs, E and bryan -- I'm on it -- will comment back when I have the song title and artist for you. Thanks!

[chelsee]

i think i have a good idea, how about... peanut butter and jelly flavored chips

[Bella]

Ok in the commercial for Doritos Late Night Tacos at Midnight... i dying to know what the name of the song you used for the commercial? (Its a great song.) Plus are the chips already in stores or do I have wait?

[cris V]

as soon as anyone finds the song, post it, homies ha
been lookin for a while

[sam]

Somebody please, for heaven's sake, PLEASE post the name of that wonderful song!

[alexulloa]

song? haha

[Lori Palmer]

I was so excited about the Latenight Taco Doritos. I thought it would taste like the very first Doritos (in the white bag). However, that is not the case. I was disappointed. I was expecting the same taste as what I grew up eating. My children liked it, though.

[Kristin H]

Ok, Doritos fans. This is what I've found out about the song featured in the new Late Night commercial. The song is an original piece composed by Human (www.humanworldwide.com) for the ad spot. As a result, there is no song or specific artist information I have to pass on. Sorry I don't have more info, but thanks for enjoying the commercial and writing to us!

[Harry]

Wow, that's the same company that did the Sprite commercial song (where the people are playing basketball and diving into the watery court).

[chandra neal]

i love the taco doritos they really taste like tacos..... i would appricate it if u would keep these on the shelf

[pichindo]

whats the name of the song from the commercial and yeah me and ma dad are excited about the new doritos lol says "the taste will bring back his good old times"

[Catherine]

As part of the group at the CDC working round the clock on the H1N1 Influenza (swine flu) - I can tell you we have gone through a serious number of bags of the Tacos at Midnight and Jalapeno Poppers well after midnight. We are addicted. They are particuarly tasty if you pop them in the freezer for a couple of hours - mmmm! I am still marvelling at how you can taste the lettuce, how do you do that?!

[Katherine]

Is there anywhere that song from the commercial can be downloaded? You should make that available on your website. Great song.

[mckenzie crouse]

i think you should bring back the salsa doritos, they were sooooo good. i remember when they were off the market and then put back on and then they were taken off again. wtf is up with that? bring them back kay?