Fine,
fine, fine. I will do you a flavor. But just this once. Actually I suppose I
will be doing it annually from now on because I don’t want to miss out on the
fun.
Truth be
told I am more of a Pringles or Doritos kind of gal. Lay’s are generally too
salty, thin, and do not contain an even amount of flavor per chip, no matter
the variety you choose. But recently Lay’s has gotten my attention with its
annual contest “Do Us A Flavor”.
Each year
Lay’s searches for the next great, creative flavored chip that will win the
coveted first spot, giving the genius behind the idea a prize of one million
dollars (or one percent of the net sales in the first year, whichever is
higher). The idea of putting the chips back into the hands of those who consume
them might just be the greatest marketing strategy of our generation. It all
began back in 2012 when the winner was “Garlic Bread”.
This made
me wonder, what if every company took this approach? Would this draw in more
customers? Or at least more satisfied customers? Back in my day it was all
about New Coke, for a second, then back to Old Coke. We didn’t need a vote
then, the universal upset led directly to a decrease in consumption that sent a
very clear message.
Speaking
of crystal clear, that reminds me of another experiment in the soda industry,
Crystal Pepsi. It was even more disgusting than it sounds. I remember being in
the sixth grade when it came out and it was all the rage. But everyone who
drank it hated it. Finally it disappeared back into the Pepsi vault. I saw some
mention of it online as recently as 2015 for those handful of fans waiting for
their drink to rise again from its grave.
After
years of selling only one version of its product and making a killing doing so,
Oreo cookies have jumped onto the flavor bandwagon. Although they are not using
contests for flavor suggestions, there are now several different, limited
editions, seasonal flavors keeping fans waiting on baited breath to see what
will come next.
I am not
a Oreo fan but I will say that I do enjoy the Pumpkin Spice variety. The fact
that the cookie is vanilla instead of chocolate is a big draw for me. Plus I
like the fall spice season. I have heard mention so far of red velvet, brownie,
s’mores, toasted coconut, birthday cake, and cotton candy. I have not tasted
any of them and probably won’t but if you are interested keep a lookout. They
come and go so fast. You will have to stalk some of your favorite stores so
that you do not miss out. This April, Strawberry Shortcake will roll out. I
look forward to reading those reviews.
Fans of
M&Ms will remember that there has been more than one consumer contest with
a mix of results. It seems this company couldn’t decide how much real influence
they wanted the winners to have. For example in the early 1990s the very first
contest wanted to know what color should replace the tan M&M. I can hardly
remember that color so I guess this was successful on some level. The choices
were pink, purple, or blue. Blue was the champion years before Beyonce named
her daughter that. I wonder if this was the inspiration.
Other
than that M&Ms have remained mostly unchanged. Sure there were the pecan
pie and pumpkin spice recently that tried to contend with the now year round
push of seasonal flavors. It affects everything from coffee to tomato sauce. I
wish I were kidding but last year I actually saw a pasta sauce, red marinara,
that said it was pumpkin spice. I don’t even know what that means and I don’t
think I want to.
In Spring
2016 M&Ms are launching their updated campaign “Vote For Your Favorite
Peanut” where voters will have to choose from Chili Nut, Coffee Nut, and Honey
Nut. When this contest ends in June, the summer will have “mixed displays” with
no final word on how permanent the winning flavor will be.
As a side
note, my favorite M&Ms are not the ones you eat. I ADORE those commercials
especially ones with Santa. The yellow peanut M&M is my favorite. He is
bulky and funny. Those are two very good characteristics. Just like Gus the
mouse in Cinderella. They are
almost as funny as the mucus that follows the guy he inhabits to work for Taco
Tuesday, gets me every time.
“Do Us A
Flavor” was the original, successful contest of this kind. That is impressive.
Imitation really is the most sincere form of flattery. Last year I tried the
winner, Southern Biscuits and Gravy. The Biscuits were amazing. It was so
confused to be eating a food that looked like one thing and tasted like
another. Science has sure come a long way.
This year
though I wanted to be more involved so I choice two of the four flavors
competing to win or fear extermination. I laid them all out and tried the
current flavor then the one that seeks to dethrone it. This way I could really
compare.
One of
the downsides of new flavors that seem so off the wall is that you can’t wait
to try them. But after a few chips the flavor is too strong or too strange for
an entire serving. However, this year’s selections couldn’t have been farther
from the truth this year.
First up
was Honey Barbecue versus the new Korean Barbecue. I had never even heard of
the Honey Barbecue and that was the so-called old flavor. It was rather tasty
and I am glad to have that mesquite taste without any of the burn. The sweet
and salt went together nicely here but after a few chips it was too sweet for me. I eat chips
for the salt. I am not a sweet treat eater. Sorry Honey but I would have to
take a pass.
As for
the Korean Barbecue- I WAS BLOWN AWAY. It tasted EXACTLY like the real thing
and was so delicious I kept eating them. They had this sweet yet tangy sauce
like flavor, which I could not guess for the life of me. It was sort of like
teriyaki but not. They didn’t taste at all like meat or were overpowering in
any way. It was like a meal you would make in summer on your grill. I craved
one instantly and now again as I write this. Surprisingly it had less sodium
than its rival.
I had
bought the mini bags thankfully but I could have easily had them all in one
sitting. I had to hide them from myself they were that good. It made me crave
the real thing but also more of the chips.
Next up
was Cheddar and Sour Cream against Smoked Gouda and Chives. Cheddar and Sour
Cream have always been a source of comfort for me. Although I do prefer them in
Ridgies probably because I feel they hold the flavor better. These tasted
more like Sour Cream than Cheddar. The salt content here is also overpowering
and remains with you no matter what else you eat after.
While I
enjoy Smoked Gouda and Chives in food I was concerned about how that combo
would play out here. I thought the Gouda would be too strong for me let alone
those who aren’t a fan. Some cheeses can be a tad too sharp. I took a bite and
waited for it to bite back. It did but not at all how I pictured. After that
first bite they become so edible I was reaching in the bag grabbing a handful
and throwing them back. They were incredibly addicting yet also had lower
sodium than the Cheddar and Sour Cream. I found it interesting that as a chip
lover I chosen both which had less salt but more real flavor. That certainly
says something. These too had to be hidden from me.
After
such careful analysis I was sure to vote in Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” which is now
closed. I know ballots are usually kept secret but that would defeat my point.
I will say I voted in favor of the change for each. Either way I think I am
fine with those flavors on my chips. I am now so curious what the choices will
be next year. I wish I had a chance at that million dollars but I am not
usually creative in this way.
I also
wouldn’t mind being the one who got to taste all of the contestants to determine
which would make the final round. Lay’s perhaps you could “Do Me This Favor”.
For a
recap of the exhaustive list of flavors submitted in the last three years:
“The 2013 contest produced three
new flavors: sriracha, chicken and waffles, and cheesy garlic bread. Cheesy
garlic bread was chosen as the winner and was added to the lineup, however the
other flavors remain on sale in some regions. Another round of '“Do Us A
Flavor”' was launched in 2014. The flavors include Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese,
Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger, Wavy Mango Salsa, and Cappuccino. Kettle Cooked
Wasabi Ginger was chosen as the winner. The 2015 finalists include Kettle
Cooked Greektown Gyro, New York Reuben, Southern Biscuits & Gravy, and Wavy
West Coast Truffle Fries. Southern Biscuits & Gravy was crowned the
winner.”
It is no
surprise that apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have changed the way
we live, work, shop, and eat. It takes the idea of a twenty-four news cycle
into the great beyond. By the looks of things on social media nearly all of us
are captivated at one time or another with these contests. We are after all a
nation that likes keeping score and eating our trans fats on the go. Just a
disclaimer- I have no idea where the Lay’s brand falls within the trans fat
journey. But I know they are not organic, not yet anyways. I just hope the 2017
“Do Us A Flavor” contest winner is not Wheat Grass. Lord help us. But at least
I know what I would give up for Lent that year.
The
feature I like the best is on Facebook is that the “Like’” button has been
changed to "I'd Eat That". Major points for creativity and the ideas
keep on coming.
Even
their promotional short is entertaining!
I
intended to be very thorough throughout this post. I hope I have prohibited the
need of any reader longing for any additional snack related information. With that
in mind, if you are curiosity about potato chips extends farther than just
their flavor, here is how the parent company of Lay’s, Frito Lay, makes all of
their very popular snacks:
Now that
we are all well versed in the arena of product creativity in our marketplace
lets be sure to keep track and vote for your favorites every year to see those
changes reflected in stores nationwide.
During
the heyday of MTV they taught us all to Rock the Vote! I suggest the same when
it comes to my snacks.
In my
world both potato chips and deciding who the next President will be, are
equally deserving of my vote.
For More
Information:
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