Doritos, the loud and highly addictive tortilla chips coated with a cheesy dust and tasty seasoning, are, as the brand likes to put it, taking the umami-loaded snack and its three-cornered shape to “Another Level®.™” A new marketing campaign-slash-nationwide hunt by Frito-Lay North America encourages the public to spot triangles within their own surroundings, including on buildings, and use the Snapchat-based Triangle Tracker program to scan triangular forms within the immediate environment. Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR) software then works its magic.
Doritos started participants off with a hint by illuminating three triangular-shaped buildings in bright orange, giving the structures the appearance of a Godzilla-sized chip. The three buildings set aglow are Bjarke Ingels Group’s VIA 57 West in Manhattan, the pointed chevron shape at the top of Atlanta’s 101 Marietta Street skyscraper (formerly the Centennial Tower), and the Memphis Pyramid, a former sports venue-turned-Bass Pro Shop on the banks of the Mississippi River. The projection is quite lifelike, replicating not just the distinctive Dorito hue, but also its crunch-making texture.
Junk food aficionados and those with a lot of time on their hands have taken to the internet to discuss the orange hues, opening conversation about whether or not anyone would live inside a giant Doritos chip. (The answer is … maybe?) The Downtown Memphis Commission has even gotten in on the action, showcasing the city’s pyramidical landmark awash in an unnatural orange glow.
“Doritos has always been known for its iconic, bold flavors, but this year we’re leaning into another part of Doritos: its iconic triangular shape,” said Stacy Taffet, senior vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay North America in a press release. “What better way to engage our creative fanbase than by encouraging them to think of Doritos whenever they see a triangle in the real world?”
To participate in the Triangle Tracker hunt, users just need to point their Snapchat-enabled mobile devices at any triangle-shaped object and the lens will automatically detect the object—be it a building or traffic cone—and convert it into a Doritos chip. The program also generates a code, which takes users to a website where they can purchase exclusive products and enter for a chance to win $250,000. Similarly, those who favor TikTok over Snapchat can submit videos featuring triangles as part of weekly challenges to win money.
The search for triangles will also happen in the virtual world. Gamers who play Fortnite will be able to check out a new world Doritos Triangle Island™ and those tuning into the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28 will also be able to spot hidden triangles throughout the programming.
Doritos isn’t the first brand to mix architecture with AR. In 2019, Google’s Art and Culture app launched a Bauhaus collection that placed virtual versions of designs by Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer, and other Bauhaus greats into reality. Silly chip marketing schemes aside, AR technology continues to prove itself as a visualization tool useful for architects and designers.
More information about Doritos’s Triangle Tracker program can be found here.
