Crash the Super Bowl

Objective

Doritos and Pepsi MAX invited consumers to create and vote for 30-second commercials that would air during Super Bowl XLV. The fifth edition of Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl contest marked the first time Pepsi MAX joined as a partner, aiming to generate authentic, consumer-created advertising and drive massive engagement through a democratic voting process. The campaign combined two major entertainment moments: user-generated content competition and the world's largest sporting event broadcast.

Solution

The brands opened a global contest for 30-second video submissions, receiving over 5,600 entries—the highest number in the contest's five-year history. Ten finalists were selected by brand teams, with six ads ultimately airing during Super Bowl XLV. Four spots were determined by consumer voting across multiple channels (website, mobile, Xbox, and partner websites); one additional spot per brand was selected by brand executives. Voters received incentives including tickets to Super Bowl XLV. The consumer voting mechanism integrated multiple platforms to maximize accessibility and participation.

Results

Six consumer-created commercials titled 'Pug Attack,' 'House Sitting,' 'Love Hurts,' 'The Best Part,' 'First Date,' and 'Torpedo Cooler' aired during Super Bowl XLV, with PepsiCo awarding $1.4 million in total prizes. A potential $5 million prize pool was available if three ads ranked in the Ad Meter's top three positions, and winning creators secured guaranteed advertising contracts with the brands for 2011.