What do Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez and Walton Goggins have in common? It’s not a red carpet debut, but large food companies expect their star power to inspire Americans to consume snacks.
The financial results of Mondelēz International, Pepsico, General Mills, JM Smucker and The Campbell “S Company in recent weeks have shown stagnant sales in North America.
Consumers keep reducing brands spending, choosing to buy cheaper products or simply not buy snacks.
“It’s a difficult time because people are seeing their budgets tight, and as much as they like snacks and brands give them pleasure, it can be something to cut from shopping lists,” said Jenny Zegler, director of Mintel Food and Drink, a consumer analysis company.
“Snacks are another purchase for fun.”
Salty and sweet
Mondelēz executives, which produces various products such as Ritz, Oreos, and Wheat Thins, said in their July 29 results teleconference that “consumer anxiety” and a “change to essential items” have impaired sales in North America. The company reported a 3.5% drop in revenue.
A highlight was Ritz, which generated $ 1.5 billion in sales last year. But even this brand is experiencing a “deceleration” in demand in recent months, according to Steven Saenen, president of the Mondelēz salty snack category, which is seeking to modernize.
The 91 -year -old salty cookies brand is introducing new flavors to attract Generation Z consumers, such as a spicy honey inspired by the trend “swings“, offering economic packaging to consumers concerned with costs and hiring the Bad Bunny Superrestrial.
Saenen expects collaboration with Bad Bunny to boost sales with the growing Latin audience. The singer starred in Ritz’s first commercial at Super Bowl this year, and the brand recently extended the partnership sponsoring its sold out in Puerto Rico.
“It is a true cultural icon for multicultural and Hispanic audiences,” Saenen told International CNN. “He is also a declared admirer of the Ritz brand, so we think it’s a perfect collaboration.”
Another brand of Mondelēz, Oreo, inspired by his love for Horchata, a cold and sweetened drink usually made with ground rice or nuts and flavored with cinnamon.
The case follows the model of a successful collaboration with Lady Gaga in 2020, and another with singer Post Malone in 2025. Celebrity-created flavors brought new customers and helped increase their popularity between generation Z.
Partnerships “have become even more important as consumers squeeze their belts and don’t have much money available to spend,” said Michelle Deignan, vice president of Oreo US, prior to CNN International.
“What we have seen is that bringing credible partnerships, like Selena, makes it worthwhile for consumers to spend their sweaty money.”
A Mondelēz spokesman said Selena’s cookie was one of Oreo’s three largest releases, but noted it was too early to offer specific numbers.
Celebrity collaborations help consumers justify a more expensive purchase because they offer a “mix between one or two things I already know and love,” said Zegler of Mintel.
“Some of these brands are trying to stay relevant to consumers and remind them of the fun, joy and excitement that these brands can bring,” she added.
A spicy pinch
Doritos, who recently launched a new flavor “Golden Sriracha”hopes to match the success of “Cool Ranch” e “Nacho Cheese”.
Pepsico’s chip brand hired Walton Goggins to help draw attention. The actor of “The White Lotus” stars a humorous announcement that parodies adult films from the 1970s, playing a plumber visiting a stunning blonde.
Just when the conversation full of hints reaches its climax, Goggins spoils the moment describing the leakage using technical plumbing terms.
“You think the movie will take a” spicy direction “, but Walton’s character comes in with a turnaround before things go too far,” said James Wade, senior marketing director at Doritos. “This idea is like Salgadinho – which will be spicy, but in fact, it is not.”
Pepsico could use an impulse: the volumes of the company’s food division in North America shrank 1% in its latest quarter. Sales of the corn chips category, where Doritos is, also fell 1% in the year closed on July 26, according to NIQ.
Zegler does not expect stars collaborations to diminish anytime soon, especially since large food brands have an advantage over their own brands: larger advertising budgets.
“Consumers rethinking how much they will buy from some of these brands will remain a constant, so that’s where these limited edition launches or marketing campaigns can help keep a brand in the shopping cart,” she said. “These collaborations help with this relevance.”
