Recently, I blogged about two consumer programs and a new flavor of Collisions that the Doritos brand brought to life this fall, and today, I’m pleased to share news about another exciting Doritos promotion. For a limited time -- and to celebrate Halloween -- Doritos is bringing back two popular flavors from the past and linking them to the next generation of scary, immersive online experiences, Asylum 626.
The first flavor “back from beyond” is Doritos Black Pepper Jack. I remember this flavor well because it launched in the Western U.S. in the early 1990s when I was the Marketing Director in California -- and it was a big hit with consumers. (At the time it launched, Frito-Lay’s head of Sales in Los Angeles was named Jack, and as the sales force rolled out the new flavor, they nicknamed him “Pepper Jack.”)
The second flavor that’s back on shelves this month as part of the promotion is Doritos Smokin' Cheddar BBQ. This one is a more recently launched flavor that America voted the winner of the "Fight for the Flavor" contest the Doritos team sponsored in 2007.
Asylum 626 is a unique (and truly haunting) online experience that’s a sequel to Hotel 626, the scary Web-based immersion that the Doritos brand debuted last year. Consumers who enjoy the horror genre couldn’t get enough of Hotel 626, and it received more than 5 million visits. Asylum 626 is similar in concept. The site is open only from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily and is a first-person interactive encounter -– but it’s much more frightening than the original Hotel 626, and access to the site is limited to visitors 18 years of age and older.
When I spoke recently with Michael Fox, Marketing Manager for Doritos, he told me that the team really wanted to couple the consumer excitement around bringing back two popular flavors of Doritos chips with a super scary online experience, to create a holistic Halloween-themed Doritos promotion for 2009.
Each bag of Doritos Black Pepper Jack and Smokin' Cheddar BBQ contains a marker image on the back. When you’re on the Asylum 626 Web site, you can hold the marker image up to your Web cam and “unlock” content in the Asylum. You don’t need the marker on the bag to visit the site, but it makes the experience more immersive and even scarier.
If you're a fan of Doritos Black Pepper Jack flavor, like me, or of Doritos Smokin' Cheddar BBQ chips, now's your chance to enjoy a flavor from the past and experience a truly terrifying online experience in Asylum 626. Pick up a bag of your preferred flavor now, because they'll only be in stores through October.
I was THRILLED TO DEATH when I saw Black Pepper Jack Doritos back in my Kroger store! I was heartbroken when the flavor disappeared from shelves last year. Why won't it be continued beyond October? I'm going to have to do some serious stocking up!!!
Posted by: robby5756@hotmail.com | October 02, 2009 at 09:10 AM
dont bother stocking up unless you like a cheddar zesty flavor, the pepper jack isn't even close to what IT WAS, very disappointed
Posted by: Eddeeb | October 03, 2009 at 01:30 PM
loved the black pepper jack doritos i also was thrilled when i saw them back. they are great to make taco salads with i crush the doritos delicious my husband will only eat tacos like that. we will be very disappointed to see them go away again
Posted by: kimberly plows | October 09, 2009 at 01:02 PM
Hey I saw these guys @ianwalshmusic last night at one of their concerts... this movie about u guys is HILARIOUS! http://bit.ly/ROG0V
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=620405176 | October 10, 2009 at 06:37 AM
I love all of the Tostitos but our favorite is "Hint of Jalepeno"!! Everyone who eats these cannot get enough... they are the best!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | October 13, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Several years ago I found my favorite flavor, Smokin' Cheddar BBQ. Ate and ate, then they went away. I looked and looked. When I visited a different grocery there was a chance I'd be on the chip isle, hoping to find the flavor, ah, but alas it was not so. After much searching I eventually gave up my cause. Maybe sometimes I still held out hope, on occasion, like a kid looking for their long lost puppy.
I've come to like the newer sweet and spicy chili.
But then, maybe about 2 weeks ago, while at a local grocery, I (or my boyfriend) happened upon a few bags of SMOKIN' CHEDDER BBQ. It had been long enough that I wasn't sure of the name, but there was the thought that this might, might be my long lost flavor! I ended up buying the bag, even though it was more expensive at this grocery. If this was my flavor I was willing to pay the extra!
Frito-Lays, please do not shaft us yet again. Please keep the Fight for Flavor winner once and for all.
Posted by: CBrewer | October 18, 2009 at 11:42 PM
ok so what is it going to take to keep the black pepper jack flavor on the shelves??????
Posted by: christy | November 10, 2009 at 07:50 PM
I wonder the same. If they sell so well, why not make them all the time?? A bag of chips not purchased by me = less money in their pockets.
The math seems correct.
And while I'm at it. Midnight tacos? Horrible chips. Bought over a month ago and still have a full bag of them.
Posted by: Bruce Wolfe | January 21, 2010 at 11:05 PM
We know that everyone has their favorite snack and flavor -- we have ours too! We try to bring back different flavors from time to time to satisfy the craving, but we're not always able to make every flavor on a long-term and continual basis. We do appreciate your thoughts and will share it "up the food chain" here at Frito-Lay! Thanks again for your comments. - Kristin, Frito-Lay
Posted by: Kristin | January 22, 2010 at 07:42 AM
I was wondering...is there a COMPLETE list of flavors that were made by the Frito-Lay company? I keep thinking back to old favorites such as "Smokey Red BBQ" (Now found in the Munchies snack mix) and Black Pepper Jack. Ketchup? Jalapeno? Is there a list online or a record anywhere?
We do appreciate bringing back old favorites from time-to-time. =) Thank-you Frito-Lay.
Posted by: Joeykent123@hotmail.com | February 15, 2010 at 07:36 PM
Re: Joeykent123@hotmail.com -- We don't have a list published that includes all of the flavors we've ever made, but we do have all of our current snacks -- brands and flavors -- posted on the Frito-Lay Web site: http://www.fritolay.com -- Go to the "Our Snacks" tab. Thanks for your comment!
Posted by: Kristin | February 16, 2010 at 08:01 AM
Ok almost everyone in my town that I talk to agrees that the Smokin Cheddar BBQ is the flavor the love the most. It is my favorite by far.. I don't even buy Doritos unless that flavor is available, which unfortunately, in Anna Illinois, is rare. When it is available, it is the first flavor to sell out, and I buy at least 3 bags per grocery trip. Frito Lay, please distribute this flavor to Anna. We had it for a week around the superbowl (2010) then it was gone.
Posted by: Brad | February 27, 2010 at 02:20 PM
why dont they sell them in the maritimes, canada. im sitting here craving them for almost 5 years.. ugfh
Posted by: chelsea | May 19, 2010 at 12:15 PM
PLEASE BRING BACK THE BLACK PEPPER JACK DORITOS!!
Posted by: maria simpson | July 23, 2011 at 04:55 PM
Battle Black Pepper Jacks Doritos are great! I was thoroughly disappointed when I walked into my local Walmart and saw that they were not restocked. Seriously, these chips made me start buying Doritos every day again. All the spicy flavors are too spicy. The Pepper Jack Doritos are just right. Frito-Lay, please consider bringing back Battle Black Pepper Jack Doritos on a permanent basis.
Posted by: Mark | November 21, 2011 at 03:54 PM