Doritos launches #NameThatTriangle social media contest

Dive Brief:

• Frito-Lay brand Doritos launched #NameThatTriangle, a national social media contest challenging consumers to show off triangle-inspired haircuts for the opportunity to win tickets to Super Bowl LVII, according to a press release.
• Now through Jan. 15, consumers can submit photos of their own triangle haircuts on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtags #NameThatTriangle and #Entry for the chance to win two Super Bowl LVII tickets, a signed helmet from Miller or a Triangle Hair Kit. A weekly winner will also be featured on Doritos’ Instagram. 
• The challenge is inspired by Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, who recently began sporting a triangle haircut. The effort, which also saw an out-of-home element, follows other moves by the brand to integrate the shape of its chip into on-trend challenges. 

Dive Insight:

Doritos has made it a focus this year to connect its triangle-shaped chip to other triangular shaped objects spotted in day-to-day life, so when two-time Super Bowl champ Miller debuted a new haircut — a shaved head with a triangle on the back of his head — a Dorito’s tie-up was likely inevitable.

Consumers who participate in #NameThatTriangle are invited to post their triangle hairstyles on Twitter or Instagram while suggesting a unique name for the haircut. Each week, Doritos will select one entry to be featured on its Instagram, and the five weekly winners named could additionally win an autographed Von Miller helmet and a Triangle Hair Kit meant to help maintain their triangle hairdo. Doritos will also give away two tickets to the Super Bowl LVII — an aptly timed incentive that sees the brand playing off hype surrounding the big game to encourage engagement with its challenge. 

Ahead of the challenge, Doritos also hosted a tailgate party Dec. 11 before the Buffalo Bills game against the New York Jets. During the event, coined Von’s Chips (and Clips), barbers were on-site offering fans the chance to spontaneously get a triangle haircut of their own and a photo booth was also on-site to get the haircut photographed for entry to the contest. The event also offered free Doritos and custom triangle merchandise. 

Doritos is familiar with associating its product to other triangular shaped concepts and items. In August, the chip brand sent consumers on a hunt for triangles as part of its “Triangle Tracker” promotion. The challenge tagged Snapchat for a custom lens that converted real-world triangles into Doritos while generating a code to unlock prizes. At the same time, Doritos launched a Doritos Triangle Island in “Fortnite” and worked with StreamElements on a bot that allowed streamers to swap triangles they see in games with chips.