Tostitos, Avocados From Mexico team for experiential Cinco de Mayo promotion

Dive Brief:

• Frito-Lay’s Tostitos brand tortilla chips has formed a partnership with Avocados From Mexico for an experiential promotion in New York City, according to a press release shared with Marketing Dive. To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, representatives from the two brands on May 3 will be roving around the city with table-side guacamole carts to pass out food in a way that evokes tables-side guacamole preparation in some Mexican restaurants. 
• The street teams will visit well-populated locations including Herald Square, Madison Square, Columbus Circle and Washington Square Park during lunch hours. The brands are hoping consumers will photograph their experiences and share their food photos with the hashtag #NoGuacNoCinco.
• The brunch-inspired snacks served include chips, dips and avocados, as Cinco de Mayo falls on a Sunday this year. The brand will share a recipe for “SalsaGuac” on the brunch carts. Beyond the New York activation, the two companies have created co-branded grocery stores displays that will be distributed nationwide.

Dive Insight:

Tostitos and Avocados from Mexico are targeting millennials in this experiential activation effort in a way that appeals to this demographic. Almost three-quarters (72%) of millennial women say spending on experiences makes them the happiest, and 45% say their biggest purchases over the past 12 months were on experiences, according to a report by Merkle and Levo. While Frito-Lay is not selling high ticket experiences, by presenting their chips in a fun, in-person manner, they could appeal to this audience that connects with experiences.

Brunch is also popular among this demographic. Connecting the recipes and snacks served to a Sunday brunch is a savvy move for the chip maker, as the holidays falls on a Sunday and brunch is among the most popular social activity on this day of the week among millennials.

Co-branded efforts have been popular lately. Dunkin’ teamed with Peeps candy on a marketing campaign around Easter and the spring season. Range Rover partnered with Hulu to promote a futuristic car is featured in Hulu show series “The First,” about astronauts working to be the first humans on Mars. By teaming up with Avocados from Mexico, Tostitos is delivering ideas for the complete snack experience with its chips.

The timing couldn’t be better for grocery shoppers. Alvaro Luque, president of Avocados From Mexico said the brand plans to import 141 million pounds of avocados in advance of the Cinco de Mayo holiday, a 13% increase from last year, according to the press release.