We spoke with Frito-lay about the new SunChips “Be Your Own Wave” campaign, rooted in celebrating the power of individuality in everyone, everywhere. This launch is following the latest flavor innovation from the brand - SunChips Chili Lime – a flavor bursting with red chili pepper and lime.
The artists featured were selected for embracing their individuality, can you tell us a little bit about all of them and why they were chosen?
The artists featured in the spot are one-of-a-kind local artists from all over the country and they were selected not only for bringing a diverse set of stories to the forefront of creativity, but also for owning their individuality and helping to make the world a brighter place through their individual crafts. The featured artists include: mural artist Erin Miller Wray, roller skater/dancer Keon Saghari and musician Drew Forde. Each artist also contributes to a part of the production - Drew recorded his own solo to accompany the backing soundtrack, Erin created a wave-themed mural for the backdrop and Keon provided wave-shaped dance moves that were central to the piece.
How did you go about choosing ELEANOR to produce the campaign?
Since this campaign is all about embracing individuality, there was no better choice for production than ELEANOR. As a Black female-owned production company in the United States, they are making their own “waves” in an industry where diversity in leadership has been lacking. In addition, they’re known for championing creativity and craft-led directors, like Ezra Hurwitz who directed the spot, which tied in perfectly to the “Be Your Own Wave” campaign.
About Director Ezra Hurwitz: Ezra Hurwitz is a former professional NYC Ballet dancer. His connection to the creative community, his work with a diverse range of talents and causes, and his own one-of-a-kind background made him the perfect choice to launch a new creative for SunChips.
Each artist was accompanied by a specific flavor of SunChips, how were the flavors to accompany each artist appointed?
In the spot, we wanted to feature our new flavor – Chili Lime – along with two of our most popular flavors, Original and Harvest Cheddar. From those flavors, we had our artists choose which one resonated with them most! Color blocking was also very important to the creative concept, especially since the brand’s new Visual Identity System was one of the inspirations for the spot, so having each flavor create its own microcosm and have that come to life across all visuals in every scene via color blocking was key.
How did you decide on the slogan for the campaign?
The “Be Your Own Wave” campaign name was inspired by two main touchpoints. The first goes back to our roots when we first made waves on store shelves over thirty years ago with our unique wavy shape, combination of Whole Grains and mouthwatering flavors. The second, rooted in this legacy, plays on the mission to help our fans to embrace and celebrate what makes them unique. Whether it’s their music, art, moves, or something totally different, “Be Your Own Wave” proudly celebrates all the things that makes someone one-of-a-kind – inspiring everyone, everywhere to let their individuality shine.
What is Frito-Lay looking to achieve with this campaign?
As our first national marketing campaign in over four years, we want to give back to our fans who have embraced and supported SunChips’ individuality throughout the years by inspiring them to “be their own wave”. By spotlighting everyday people who are bringing their own uniqueness to their art, we hope to make the world a brighter place.
Launching a campaign to accompany the release of a new chip flavor can be costly and risky, what pushed your team to do this for Chili Lime?
Earlier this year, ahead of the “Be Your Own Wave” campaign, we launched SunChips Chili Lime (People Food Awards 2021 Winner: Best Multigrain Chip), a flavor bursting with heat and citrus that delivers a full-flavored snacking experience. With this new product, we saw the opportunity to tap into the growing consumer demand for spice and heat, especially among younger Millennials. Given its trendiness and uniqueness, it was the perfect addition to our ad spot as one of the featured flavors, along with Original and Harvest Cheddar (the full portfolio is also showcased on the end card).
Given that the campaign was launched to both celebrate consumers and the release of Chili Lime, can we expect more campaigns with the release of new flavors?
You’ll have to wait and see! Given the uniqueness and natural balance of Chili Lime, we thought it was the perfect flavor to launch ahead of this campaign. We’re excited to continue innovating and developing new flavors like Chili Lime under this umbrella concept, always staying true to the essence of the brand and to the “Be Your Own Wave” campaign.