Lays potato chips, with their signature crinkle cut and brightly colored packaging, are one of the most recognizable snack brands in the world. As a subsidiary of PepsiCo, one of the largest food and beverage companies globally, Lays has cemented its status through decades of innovative and creative marketing campaigns.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the marketing strategies that turned this salty snack into a household name. We’ll explore Lays’ early approaches, their evolution over the years, and what current campaigns can teach other brands looking to build connections with consumers.
To understand Lays’ marketing success today, it helps to look back at their early history.
The origins of Lays trace back to 1932. A traveling salesman named Herman Lay opened a snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee. In those early days, Lay peddled potato chips out of the back of his car to local grocers.
The fledgling business took off, and Lay purchased a chip factory in Atlanta in 1938. He renamed the company H.W. Lay & Company and began expanding distribution across the Southern United States.
In 1961, the snack company merged with Frito to form Frito-Lay. This new company was acquired by PepsiCo just five years later, giving Lays the financial backing of a major corporation. With these resources, the brand was poised for immense growth through creative marketing and product innovation.
Lays’ marketing success was hardly accidental. From the early days as a small regional operation to its current status as an international powerhouse, the brand has leveraged smart and strategic marketing at every stage.
For any modern brand, there are important lessons to be learned from Lays’ approach. Their marketing has effectively built lasting emotional connections with consumers through compelling stories and characters. And they’ve adapted their methods over the decades to stay relevant.
By taking a close look at the specific strategies Lays has utilized over the years, other brands can gain insights to create their own memorable and effective marketing campaigns. Intelligent marketing has been at the core of Lays’ rise to prominence.
In the early days, Lays had limited marketing resources, especially compared to the extensive budgets they enjoy today. But a few key strategies helped cement this potato chip purveyor in the minds of consumers.
When Herman Lay first started his snack food company in the 1930s, he made sure to put his name front and center. This established brand identity and awareness from the very beginning. The Lays name appeared prominently on delivery vehicles and packaging.
And when the merger with Frito occurred in 1961, the individual Lays brand name was preserved. This strategy prevented the established brand equity from being subsumed into the new entity.
Lays recognizes the importance of partnerships. Early TV ads paired the brand with beloved shows. Today, influencer ties build credibility with niche audiences.
Finding key personalities that align with brand values and consumer interests can elevate awareness exponentially. The human touch resonates more than corporate messaging.
Lays isn’t just reactive – they drive snack food trends. Limited edition flavors and creative contests make customers feel part of the brand’s future.
Successful brands need to be proactive, not just responsive. Campaigns that spark conversation and participation can make customers feel invested.
Lays’ iconic status stems from many decades of strategic marketing. The brand has leveraged trends from radio and TV ads to digital influencers and user-generated content. Adaptability, humor, and customer participation underpin these efforts.
For companies aspiring for Lays’ level of awareness and loyalty, there are many lessons here. Marketing should evolve continually to reflect changing consumer habits. Partnerships add valuable credibility. And campaigns that foster creativity and conversation can produce viral engagement.
Most importantly, effective marketing makes emotional connections. Lays anchors its products in joy, humor, and timely cultural relevance. At their core, they sell not just potato chips but shared experiences and comfort.
Lays’ marketing mastery has made the brand far more than the sum of its (potato chip) parts. Their strategies will continue creating magic and memories for generations to come. Any brand seeking to build that kind of legacy can find inspiration in this iconic product’s journey.
