Doritos and PepsiCo’s in-house agency, Sips & Bites, have unveiled ‘Doritos Silent, the world’s first AI augmented snack - powered by Crunch Cancellation technology.
The groundbreaking technology lets PC gamers enjoy their favorite chips without distracting other players.
The innovation followed a new research that revealed a strong demand across the globe for an innovative solution that eliminates crunching sounds while gaming, even though 85 percent of gamers chose Doritos as their snack of choice.
In the UK, a third (35%) of gamers claim the sound of someone snacking frustrates them when playing, while one in five (18%) gamers saying the sound makes them want to log off, with crisps identified as the worst audio culprit.
“The connection between Doritos fans and the gaming community is undeniable,” said Fernando Kahane, global marketing head at PepsiCo. “Both boldly and unapologetically embrace their individual flavors. 'Doritos Silent' recognises this bond and demonstrates the brand's continued commitment to innovation and elevating the experience for gamers who choose Doritos.”
To cement Doritos as a top choice for gamers by allowing them to enjoy the crunch without distracting fellow players, Doritos and Sips & Bites have created the first ever silent chip, Doritos Silent: delivering the same crunch, but with no sound. Powered by the innovative Crunch Cancellation technology, the sound of someone’s voice is separated in real time from the noise of the Doritos crunch. The AI then stops the crunch audio from being sent down the microphone – meaning all PC gamers can enjoy that famous crunch without it distracting them and their squad from winning.
A teaser launch of a new Doritos Silent product fed off natural intrigue, with the disruptive image of a Dorito in an ear across OOH and digital intensifying speculation, before the Doritos Crunch Cancellation technology was revealed.
Designed in partnership with Smooth Technology, a leader in electronic and interactive design, the new technology took six months to develop and involved the technical analysis of more than 5,000 different crunch sounds.
“Working with Doritos to create this cutting-edge technology has been an incredible journey,” said Dylan Fashbaugh, the lead developer at Smooth Technology. “We all know that gamers love Doritos, but that unmistakable crunch can often disrupt those intense gaming moments. With 'Doritos Silent,' we've worked to ensure gamers can enjoy the crunch of Doritos without disturbing their fellow players, making for a better gaming experience.”
The campaign kicked off by teasing the launch of a Doritos Silent “product”, with attention-grabbing adverts at four high footfall OOH locations. Shown at Piccadilly Circus, Mare St (Hackney), Liverpool and Birmingham as well as across digital, it featured a divisive creative of a Doritos chip placed in an ear alongside the tag: “You won’t hear it coming”. A microsite continued to tease gamers, inviting them to cancel the crunch.
(PRNewsfoto/Frito-Lay North America,PepsiCo)
Digital and social content finally revealed the AI-augmented product, showcasing the technology in action for two gamers. The ad signs off with a ‘Game on, Crunch off’ tagline.
“Our Crunch Cancellation tech delivers an entirely new snacking experience to gamers - the “Doritos Silent” experience. What we loved is how the concept is so intriguing to people; how on earth can you silence the iconic crunch of a Doritos? It’s this immediate curiosity that was the spark behind our big idea as we teased a new Doritos Silent “product”, Matt Watson, executive creative director for Sips & Bites, at PepsiCo, said commented.
“People immediately asked “what?” and “how?” and the disruptive image of an actual Dorito in an ear escalated the buzz, before we revealed it to be the world’s first AI Augmented Silent Snack. By silencing one of our biggest assets, we made it even louder.”
Karina Stoltz, senior brand manager UK – Doritos at PepsiCo, added: “Gaming is a massive industry worth over £7bn, and is particularly enjoyed by Gen Z - a key demographic for Doritos. We know that the nation loves the satisfying crunch of Doritos, but listening to someone else enjoy them can be off-putting, particularly when concentrating while gaming. This concept isn’t a gimmick – it’s the real deal. The campaign aims to provoke immediate buzz and asks the questions, ‘how is it possible to silence the famous Doritos crunch’? ‘Crunch Cancellation’ software is simple to use and can identify over three million crunches in real time and silences them from travelling down the microphone.”
By expanding this new technology to all PC gamers, Doritos hopes its silence can benefit the 80 percent of millennials and Gen Z who classify themselves as gamers.
Doritos teased the idea of ‘making Doritos silent’ with social media and out-of-home advertisements that featured Doritos chips in-place of noise-cancelling headphones in the UK, US, Spain, Poland, Brazil and Portugal promising that ‘you won't hear it coming.’
The brand-new software can be downloaded for free from Doritos.co.uk/SILENT. Once activated, play with friends and the software will eliminate all traces of Doritos crunching.
Diablo, the producer of disobediently good wines, has inked a partnership with new musical The Devil Wears Prada, which makes its UK debut in London this month.
Diablo (which means "devil" in Spanish) will feature on programmes, and competitions will be run to award tickets for the shows, which run until 31 May 2025. Diablo wines will also be poured at Elton John’s Opening Night Gala at the British Museum in London on 1 December, where a bespoke "Diablo" bar will be built.
The Devil Wears Prada Musical is a new stage adaptation of the popular 2006 film, itself based on Lauren Weisberger's novel.
The Diablo wine brand, first launched in 2018, is growing at a phenomenal rate in the UK, +33.4 per cent by value in the past 52 weeks. It has successfully introduced new wines into its portfolio, with the original Diablo Dark Red being joined by Chardonnay, and most recently Purple Malbec, Volcanic Cab and Deep Carmenere, all listed in major multiple grocers.
Diablo is attracting a distinctive younger and more affluent shopper (45 per cent of its shoppers are under 45 versus 14 per cent of shoppers across total still wine).
“This is an incredibly exciting time for the brand," said Javiera Moller, Senior Brand Manager at Concha y Toro UK. "The Devil Wears Prada is an iconic and much-loved story, now brought to life on the London stage with a star cast and a great score by Elton John, and the 'devil' connection makes it a perfect partner for our brand.
“Our audience are disruptive, intelligent, stylish and early adopters of brands and trends. This partnership gives us the chance to activate with our target consumers, and build the profile of an already-thriving wine brand.”
From its initial launch in 2018 with Diablo Dark Red blend, the brand now has six wines in multiple retail distribution in the UK:
Diablo Dark Red
Diablo Volcanic Cabernet Sauvignon
Diablo Purple Malbec
Diablo Deep Carmenere
Diablo Golden Chardonnay
Diablo Crystal Sauvignon Blanc
The brand has grown from £2 million in retail sales value in the UK less than five years ago to be worth over £20 million today (RSV).
Tilda has announced the launch of its 2024 limited-edition tin, created in collaboration with Lovo, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering and inspiring women and their families.
The tin will be available from November at independent retailers, offered free with a 2kg purchase of Tilda Pure Basmati Rice for a limited time only.
Designed to celebrate diversity and women’s empowerment, the tin features intricate patterns that embody sisterhood, while its vibrant flora and fauna reflect community and personal growth. The striking colour palette of green, yellow, pink, and blue conveys strength and gratitude—values that resonate deeply within the Lovo community.
Not only is this tin visually captivating, but it is also practical, making it an ideal storage solution for rice while symbolising support for a noble cause.
To commemorate the launch, Tilda and Lovo hosted a celebratory event on 26 September, unveiling the limited-edition tin to over 150 attendees, including the mayor of Southwark, Naima Ali. Highlights of the event included a keynote address from a financial expert, a global lunch featuring Jollof rice and biryani, lively performances by drummers and dancers, and a special moment where guests were encouraged to write their dreams and aspirations for the future on a symbolic ‘Tree of Aspiration’ that stood at the heart of the celebration.
“This vibrant tin reflects the varied cultures and communities that Tilda serves. Rice is such an integral part of meals worldwide, and we are thrilled to partner with Lovo, an organisation that aligns perfectly with our values of diversity and empowerment.” Anna Beheshti, head of marketing at Tilda, said.
Ola Stephen, founder and director of Lovo, added, “The tin is a true celebration of diversity. It is not only beautiful but also embodies the spirit of the community we are nurturing together.”
Last month, Tilda announced a £10,000 donation to support Lovo’s initiatives.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK has introduced this year’s limited-edition pack for its ever-popular Henri Wintermans Half Corona brand, which is available to retailers now.
The Henri Wintermans Half Corona is easily the biggest brand in the medium / large segment and is now the UK’s fifth biggest selling cigar in value terms, with annual sales worth £16.3m. This new limited edition “Gentleman” pack adds a personal touch to the brand and celebrates its long heritage and continuing success, designed in a timeless pin stripe suit with the logo and information stitched into the fabric, which reflects both the aspirational nature of the product and the attention to detail that goes into crafting these fine cigars. Despite the changes to the packaging, the cigars inside of course remain the same.
“Retailers certainly won’t need me to tell them that sales of larger cigars go up in the build up to Christmas when adult smokers are in celebratory mood and typically have more time to enjoy them,” said STG’s UK Head of Marketing, Prianka Jhingan. “Our Henri Wintermans Half Corona is always a big seller at this time of year and this limited issue Gentleman’s edition pack should only increase sales further. My advice to retailers is to stock up on it, as it is easily the UK’s best-selling medium / large cigar and has a loyal following due to its quality blend and heritage.”
Gordon’s is today unveiling its new ATL campaign, "Mix It Up". The ad, which shows consumers choosing to pace their consumption by switching between Gordon’s Pink and Gordon’s Pink 0.0%, has been created to empower consumers to moderate their consumption in a way that works for them.
Mix It Up is the first Gordon’s campaign to bring both Gordon’s Pink and Gordon’s Pink alcohol-free variants together in one advert. With 36 per cent of drinkers currently pacing their consumption with soft drinks and 49 per cent of alcohol-free occasions also featuring alcohol, the campaign offers those looking to moderate an option that doesn’t compromise on taste.
The new TVC invites viewers to join an evening out with a group of friends. As the group begin to drink their Gordon’s & Tonic, the screen splits in two to visually demonstrate how they choose to pace their night by switching between Gordon’s Pink and Gordon’s Pink 0.0%.
In addition to the new TVC, a suite of assets have been created to bring the campaign to life across social and digital channels. Whilst in the same universe as the commercial, the social content hero’s Gordon's long-term partner Maya Jama who brings to life how she chooses to mix it up for followers.
“When creating this campaign, we wanted to demonstrate that moderation didn’t have to be a binary decision between having something alcoholic or alcohol free," said Tayara Sousa Linke, Global Head of Marketing. "We know that this perceived choice impacts people’s decision to moderate, so, through Mix It Up, we wanted to highlight that it is possible to seamlessly switch between the two and enjoy the same great taste of Gordon’s Pink whilst moderating with Gordon’s Pink Alcohol Free.”
The new creative will run across BVOD, Social and Digital channels in GB.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK is pleased to introduce this year’s limited-edition pack for its ever-popular Henri Wintermans Half Corona brand, which is available to retailers now.
The Henri Wintermans Half Corona is easily the biggest brand in the medium / large segment and is now the UK’s fifth biggest selling cigar in value terms, with annual sales worth £16.3m. This new limited edition "Gentleman" pack adds a personal touch to the brand and celebrates its long heritage and continuing success, designed in a timeless pin stripe suit with the logo and information stitched into the fabric, which reflects both the aspirational nature of the product and the attention to detail that goes into crafting these fine cigars. Despite the changes to the packaging, the cigars inside of course remain the same.
“Retailers certainly won’t need me to tell them that sales of larger cigars go up in the build up to Christmas when adult smokers are in celebratory mood and typically have more time to enjoy them," said STG’s UK Head of Marketing, Prianka Jhingan. "Our Henri Wintermans Half Corona is always a big seller at this time of year and this limited issue Gentleman’s edition pack should only increase sales further. My advice to retailers is to stock up on it, as it is easily the UK’s best-selling medium / large cigar and has a loyal following due to its quality blend and heritage.”