Look. We’ve all been there. It’s late at night and you’re looking for a snack at your local deli or gas station. You’re browsing through the snack aisle and you cruise past the peanut butter cups. Then the sour gummy candies, the potato chips, and then you see it. Glowing bright orange bag with a glowing bright orange inside. You give a quick tip of the hat to Chester Cheetah (what? That’s not weird!). You take the bright orange bag to the register, and before you know it you’re on your way to a savory, cheesy, crunchy snack vacay. Chester has been a cornerstone of Cheetos’ go-to marketing strategy for years, but what are the other ways this snacking giant has gotten us to purchase this perfect late night treat? By reading the trends of course. Everything from new flavors to the oh so popular pop-up restaurant, Cheetos is tremendous at reading the signs and setting a new marketing strategy example for all businesses.
Pop Up Restaurant
Now, as much as we all love Cheetos, I don’t think anyone would confuse these tasty little cheese curls for fine dining. Well, that’s an attitude that has changed due to a pop-up restaurant combining fine foods and, yep, Cheetos! Chef Roy Choi set up a pop-up restaurant in Hollywood giving Cheetos fans the opportunity to try their favorite snack mixed with bagels, sushi, and even burritos!
The Flamin’ Hot Spot is inspired by one of the most popular flavors of Cheetos, the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. This is the second pop up restaurant to be Cheetos inspired. It will include main courses, appetizers, and, oh yes, even desserts made with the ever-popular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. This will include a steak (served on fire, no less), chipotle ranch wings, and meatballs. This type of interaction with the customer is so important.
Showing creativity and outside-the-box thinking is difficult under the best circumstances. And Frito-Lay is doing it all while using perhaps the most tried and true go-to marketing strategy: spontaneity. A pop-up restaurant is only around for a short time, so this sudden appearance and the knowledge that it will end soon creates importance that is difficult to replicate.
New Flavors, New Styles, New Go To Marketing Strategy
In addition to the regular flavor, Cheetos offers a number of flavors. It’s difficult to top a go to marketing strategy as strong as variety. Cheetos offers not only regular crunchy Cheetos, but they offer Baked Cheetos. Baked Cheetos arrived in 2004 and have become quite popular. There are also Cheetos Puffs, the aforementioned Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and the new dessert option Sweetos, which have sugar and cinnamon. Pricings are lower due to the Frito-Lay’s belief that overall higher sales will yield longer term higher profits.
Frito-Lay also offers fun local options including Zesty Japanese Steak and Cheetos Whoosh. There was even a natural option in the mid-2000’s called Cheetos Natural. These Cheetos had white cheddar and natural ingredients. Even though this wasn’t the most popular option, it truly shows that Frito-Lay was and is committed to offering their customers a wide variety of options and, in turn, a wide variety of times to come back and snack!
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If you have a small business or website and are looking to update your go to marketing strategy, contact the team at Web Content Development. We’re here to help you improve your marketing strategies. Contact us today!
