Creators are about to put their cheesy orange fingerprints all over the latest Doritos Crash the Super Bowl campaign on Super Bowl 59.
Frito-Lay and PepsiCo selected 25 semifinalists (one for each of the years that Doritos aired a Super Bowl commercial) from a Big Game-sized bowl of thousands of submissions. Fans can view the best submissions at DoritosCrash.comboost their favorites on social media with #DoritosCrash and, starting January 14, vote for the top three finalists.
The winner will have their ad aired during the Super Bowl and win $1 million.
Nearly 20 years ago, Crash the Super Bowl first allowed anyone with a camera to create their own 30-second spot and compete for cash prizes and the chance to work with famous directors. By the time Doritos and Frito-Lay ended the promotion in 2018, they had received 30,000 trade submissions from fans and handed out $7 million in prizes.
During its 10-year run, from 2006 to 2016, Crash the Super Bowl ads broke into the USA TODAY Ad Meter’s top five ads every year, ranking number one four times. Unlike, say, TikTok Dance Challenge #DoritosTriangleTryout As of 2023, Crash the Super Bowl has sent some creators into commercial work, film, and other areas of the entertainment industry.
“We always firmly believe that the best ideas often come from the most unexpected places,” said Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing at PepsiCo Foods North America. “Now that our fans have more access to creative and ad creative tools than ever before, we can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves.”
In subsequent years, the competition also distributed $1 million to advertisements that topped the Ad Meter. This money went to 2009 “Free Doritos” 2011 “Pug Attack” and 2012 “Man’s best friend.” An online vote won the 2012 vote “Baby scarf” another $1 million.
During the early stages of this year’s campaign, Doritos showed fans how tough the world can be on these ads by releasing digital spots featuring previously winning fan-submitted ads:“Goat Sale 4” And “Slap”-and including the director Ben Callner and actor and director Dion Miss.
“When I submitted my ad in 2013, people told me the spot I made would never see the light of day, but I knew it was an opportunity to create something special,” said Callner said. “After my commercial, ‘Goat 4 Sale,’ ended up winning and airing during the Big Game, it really changed the trajectory of my career.”
