Global Ads Spotlight: Check how Doritos made noise by killing the 'crunch'
Doritos’ tech-fuelled campaign cancelled out the crunch so gamers could snack in peace—and the internet couldn't stop talking about it! Read and watch to know more in our Global Ads Spotlight column.
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Ever been deep in an intense gaming session only to be distracted by your friend's loud crunching of chips or snacks?
Doritos tackled this annoyance head-on with its innovative "Doritos Silent" campaign teamed up with a crunch-cancellation technology that promised to let gamers enjoy their snack quietly without disrupting gameplay.
Some insights
The campaign emerged after research indicated strong global demand for quieter snacking options among gamers.
In the UK, nearly half (46%) of gamers couldn't stand hearing someone else eat, while in Portugal and Spain, chips were ranked as the most disruptive food by 68% and 64% of gamers, respectively.
Over in the US, a notable 30% admitted their performance suffered due to snack-related distractions.
Partnering with Smooth Technology, experts spent six months analysing more than 5,000 unique crunch sounds to perfect the 'silent crunch.' Doritos cleverly teased the campaign through eye-catching ads featuring chips replacing noise-cancelling headphones, rolling out across the UK, US, Spain, Poland, Brazil, and Portugal with a cheeky promise: "You won't hear it coming."
Image courtesy: Caples
Responses and recognition
The campaign quickly gained massive traction, pulling in an earned reach of 3.2 billion globally—the brand's biggest gaming-focused push yet.
Doritos experienced a 76% jump in targeted brand impressions, more than 200,000 organic social media engagements, and impressive commercial results, including a $50 million increase in sales.
Gamers flocked to the idea: the campaign's dedicated site attracted over 1.8 million visitors, with the software hitting 15,000 downloads within weeks. On Twitch, the Doritos emote flooded chat rooms, appearing more than 5.3 million times.
Recognition followed swiftly. "Doritos Silent" earned accolades from D&AD for its innovative AI application in advertising and bagged a coveted Gold award at The Drum Awards in the Use of GenAI category.
