Tostitos, a brand of Frito-Lay/PepsiCo, is one of the most recognizable tortilla chip and dip lines in the United States. Introduced in the late 1970s, Tostitos quickly grew under the slogan “Bring the party,” positioning itself as a snack made for social gatherings. The brand’s website sums up its ethos: “life is a fiesta worth celebrating,” and Tostitos emphasizes high-quality ingredients in all its chips and dips. Over the decades Tostitos has expanded from its original triangle chips to a wide lineup (including bowl-shaped “Scoops,” Cantina-style chips, and numerous flavored varieties) along with corresponding salsas and queso dips. As Frito-Lay’s party-focused tortilla chip, Tostitos has built a market image around fun, friendship and festive occasions – often featuring its product at celebrations from NFL tailgates to Cinco de Mayo fiestas.
Tostitos’s branding centers on the idea of bringing people together. Its famous tagline, “Bring the party,” sums up this positioning, and the company consistently communicates a message of gatherings and celebration. In its own words, Tostitos says it “believe[s] that life is a fiesta worth celebrating,” and every campaign reinforces that party vibe. Even the Tostitos logo is playful: the two “T” letters form stylized people sharing a chip and salsa dip, and the name itself (from the Spanish tostado meaning “toasted”) reflects a festive, Mexican-inspired theme. The brand voice focuses on fun and warmth. As one Frito-Lay marketing executive puts it, “Tostitos has always been about getting people together,” especially around big events like the Super Bowl. This idea – that Tostitos is a catalyst for social occasions – underlies nearly all its marketing efforts.
Tostitos’s product range and marketing have also expanded with changing consumer trends. Beyond the core tortilla chips, the brand adds new flavors and styles (for example, Hint-of Lime chips, organic varieties, and Cantina-style chips for younger adults) to keep appeal fresh. Tostitos long ago extended into dips – it now offers many salsa and queso varieties alongside its chips – reinforcing the one-two party-snack punch. Over time the brand has leveraged its party-image in various cultural contexts. It is famously linked to football tailgate parties (as the “official chip and dip of the NFL” in marketing campaigns), and it ties into celebrations like Cinco de Mayo, often releasing themed promotions for such events. By focusing on enjoyment and togetherness, Tostitos has carved a niche as the party snack brand.
With this backdrop, Tostitos’s marketing strategy deploys multiple complementary tactics. Below are some of the top strategies the brand uses to stay top-of-mind and drive engagement among consumers:
Top Marketing Strategies of Tostitos
1. Brand Positioning and Tagline: “Bring the Party”
Tostitos’s core positioning is built around the idea of parties and shared moments. Its well-known tagline “Bring the party” (and related creative themes like “life is a fiesta”) reinforce that the product is meant for celebrations. For example, Tostitos’s website proclaims, “At TOSTITOS® we believe that life is a fiesta worth celebrating,” and this upbeat, festive message is echoed in its advertising, packaging, and social media. By centering on occasions rather than just the snack itself, Tostitos presents its chips and dips as essentials for any gathering – whether it’s a game day, backyard barbecue, or family movie night. The branding emphasizes fun visuals (bright colors, festive fonts, people enjoying chips together) and even the logo conveys people sharing chips and salsa. All of these elements communicate that Tostitos is about more than a crunch; it’s about creating memorable moments.
This party-centric positioning has guided many campaigns. The brand often tailors its messaging to specific occasions, using the same party-friendly tone. Internally, Tostitos marketers stress community and togetherness: as one executive noted about their Super Bowl efforts, “Tostitos has always been about getting people together for the Super Bowl”. This focus on connection shapes everything from ads to promotions. The “Bring the party” slogan appears on packaging and ads, reminding consumers that Tostitos is the go-to chip for gatherings. By continuously linking the brand to social events, Tostitos reinforces its identity as the snack that makes parties.
The brand’s positioning also extends into sponsorships and partnerships, as described below. Because Tostitos is all about parties, it naturally aligns itself with large celebratory events (like the Super Bowl or cultural festivals). In practice, this means the company invests in co-branding (for example with football leagues, sports teams, and cultural organizations) to further the idea that Tostitos is part of the celebration.
In short, Tostitos anchors its marketing on the promise of fun, friendship, and festivity. This core idea – that its chips and dips can “bring the party” – is woven into every campaign and communication. It allows the brand to speak directly to consumers who plan social events, positioning Tostitos not just as a snack but as an ingredient in good times.
2. Sports Sponsorship & NFL Partnerships
Tostitos’s marketing heavily leverages sports, especially football, to target its party-focused audience. It has long held the title of “official chip and dip” sponsor of the NFL, using that partnership to reach fans during football season. This official NFL association gives Tostitos prominent visibility at games and on broadcasts, and the brand often features NFL-themed advertising. For instance, in Fall 2024 Tostitos launched its largest single-brand NFL ad campaign to date. That campaign featured stars like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman – famous former New England Patriots players – and humorously depicted scenarios (weddings, flights, etc.) where watching football “without Tostitos” was the faux pas, until Brady and Edelman suddenly appear to deliver chips and dip. These ads underline that even hardcore football fans shouldn’t watch games without their Tostitos chips, directly linking the brand to the game-day viewing experience.
Tostitos frequently enlists well-known athletes and sports figures in its campaigns. In 2024 Tostitos’s NFL ads starred Tom Brady and Julian Edelman to highlight the message “You can’t watch football… without Tostitos.” The humorous spots aired during preseason games to reinforce Tostitos’s role in football season snack rituals.
Beyond celebrity ads, Tostitos uses its NFL deal to create themed packaging. Every football season it rolls out “Team Bags” – snack bags featuring logos and colors of individual NFL teams for the local markets of those teams. For the 2024 season, Tostitos expanded from 27 to 28 team versions by adding a Washington Commanders bag. These localized packages tap into team loyalties and encourage purchases by fans. In practice, seeing one’s favorite team’s logo on a chip bag ties the Tostitos brand directly to that fan’s game-day rituals. This packaging strategy extends the relationship from just media ads into the retail environment.
Tostitos also runs large marketing campaigns around major football events. It is especially active during the Super Bowl. For example, in 2018 the brand launched “Super Bowl Ads for All” – a digital campaign where anyone throwing a Super Bowl party could create a personalized, ad-style video invitation starring Alfonso Ribeiro. This campaign both celebrated Super Bowl advertising tropes and tied them to Tostitos’s party theme. As Pat O’Toole, a senior marketing director, explained: “People love watching the ads [during the Super Bowl], so this year we wanted to give people the opportunity to create personalized ads for their Super Bowl parties.”. The campaign included an interactive online tool and even a real-world activation at Super Bowl Live in Minneapolis (a city event) where Tostitos set up a “Cantina-style” booth for fans to make their invites. These efforts highlight how Tostitos ties its brand to football season, using both traditional ads and innovative fan experiences.
Another recent example is the “Tradition Matters” NFL campaign (2025), which tells stories of fan rituals in Green Bay, Cleveland, Dallas, and Buffalo. These ads draw parallels between the time-honored traditions of football fans and the traditional way Tostitos makes its chips with whole corn kernels. One executive summarized the idea: “Just like NFL fans have their team traditions… Tostitos is a brand that has always celebrated traditions when creating our products. Many people think of Tostitos as their go-to gameday snack…”. This narrative approach reinforces the link between Tostitos and football culture, suggesting that Tostitos is an integral part of fans’ traditions.
Overall, sports sponsorship is a cornerstone of Tostitos’s strategy. By tying the brand to the NFL and football in multiple ways – official sponsorship, celebrity-packed commercials, event activations, and team-themed packaging – Tostitos ensures it’s visible to its core audience of party-hosting fans. In this realm, the brand’s messaging consistently emphasizes that football occasions are better with Tostitos chips and dip.
3. Experiential Marketing & Events
In line with its party-oriented image, Tostitos frequently uses experiential marketing and event partnerships to engage consumers in person. The brand often sets up interactive or promotional events around key occasions, creating memorable experiences that tie back to its chips and dips. A prime example is its activation around Cinco de Mayo, a holiday when tortilla chips and salsa traditionally appear at celebrations. For Cinco 2019, Tostitos teamed up with Avocados From Mexico for a street activation in New York City. Branded “tableside guacamole carts” rolled through busy locations (like Madison Square Park) serving free chip-and-guac snacks styled like restaurant guacamole service. Passersby could grab Tostitos chips paired with Avocados from Mexico guacamole, and were encouraged to post photos with the hashtag #NoGuacNoCinco. This guerrilla-style event brought the snack experience directly to consumers and generated social media buzz. The activation also included co-branded displays in grocery stores nationally so that shoppers saw the two brands paired.
Tostitos has also created larger festival-style events. For instance, during Super Bowl week in Minneapolis (for Super Bowl LII) the brand hosted a Tostitos Cantina at the Super Bowl Live fan festival. There, attendees found a Tostitos-sponsored lounge with a Cantina decor theme and technology kiosks where they could make the personalized Super Bowl invite ads. Alfonso Ribeiro (who starred in the ads) even appeared to meet fans and help them make their invites. By placing its brand at this major public event, Tostitos reinforced its association with the Super Bowl party environment.
Online events are also part of Tostitos’s experiential mix. For Cinco 2020, for example, Tostitos offered free online salsa-dancing classes for consumers preparing for at-home celebrations. Participants learned dance moves to enjoy the holiday (with a virtual Tostitos logo and banners), adding a fun activity around the brand. In another creative example, Tostitos launched a four-season digital telenovela called Botanas del Cielo (“Snacks from Heaven”) in 2016. This serialized video drama, produced by Frito-Lay’s JASH comedy network, was a humorous soap-opera style series starring Mexican singers and actors, aimed at engaging bilingual consumers. The telenovela format showcased new Tostitos Cantina products and played on cultural themes, engaging Hispanic audiences with entertaining content.
At trade and cultural events, Tostitos often provides branded sampling opportunities. (For instance, at Cinco pop-up events the brand might hand out free Tostitos and salsa samples to highlight new flavors.) It has also created limited-time retail displays and contests at grocery stores around holidays, like the digital piñata sweepstakes in 2018. These retail or on-street promotions let consumers physically interact with the brand.
Through these experiential tactics, Tostitos brings the party theme to life. Instead of just advertising on TV, the brand puts real chips and dips into consumers’ hands at relevant events. Whether it’s a Cinco de Mayo street cart or a Super Bowl fan fest, the goal is to create fun moments where people associate good times and tasty snacks with the Tostitos name. These hands-on activations often encourage social sharing and word-of-mouth, amplifying the party message in communities.
4. Digital and Social Media Engagement
Tostitos complements its real-world campaigns with digital initiatives and social media interaction. The brand uses online platforms to run contests, create shareable content, and let consumers participate in the Tostitos “party.” A flagship example is the “Super Bowl Ads for All” campaign (2018), which was both a marketing stunt and a digital experience. Tostitos created an online tool on its website that let any Super Bowl host input party details and generate a custom video invitation using familiar Super Bowl ad tropes. Every video starred Alfonso Ribeiro and included humorous nods to classic Super Bowl commercials. This interactive campaign turned party planning into a social media moment: hosts could share their personalized video invites with friends, spreading Tostitos branding in a fun, personalized way. The campaign was widely covered online, and the PR push highlighted its theme of inviting friends with a big-production feel.
On social media, Tostitos also runs hashtag campaigns and sweepstakes. In 2018, for Cinco de Mayo the brand launched the “Tostitos Piñata Party” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Visitors to Tostitos.com could design a cartoon “digital piñata” avatar of themselves (customizing features and outfits) and share it on social channels with #TostitosPinataParty and #Sweepstakes. Each share entered the user into a contest to win a real-life version of their piñata and a cash prize. This gamified online content tied into the Cinco theme (digital piñata) and drove engagement via social sharing. It demonstrated how Tostitos uses social media to turn cultural events into interactive experiences.
Tostitos also partners with influencers and content creators in the digital space. For example, in their Cinco 2018 campaign they enlisted JASH (a comedy media collective founded by Sarah Silverman and others) to produce a Cinco-themed music video with original song and choreography. The video (posted on YouTube and shared on Tostitos’s social channels) offered humorous Cinco partying advice and featured animated Tostitos packaging. By using a comedy content network, Tostitos reached younger audiences on digital platforms, beyond traditional TV ads.
More recently, Tostitos has embraced music and audio in its digital marketing. In 2022, the brand launched a sonic logo (a 1.5-second jingle) intended for use on TikTok, podcasts, and digital ads. They even teased a “Tostitos Sample Pack” on TikTok, an open collaboration opportunity where content creators can remix the branded sounds (like jar pops and crunches) to make user-generated jingles. This approach leverages social video platforms and the Gen Z trend of remixing sounds. It extends the brand’s presence into places like TikTok, ensuring the Tostitos brand identity (now partly audio) spreads in modern social feeds.
Overall, Tostitos’s digital strategy marries creativity with the social nature of the brand. The company doesn’t just post static ads online; it builds tools, games and media that people actively share. By running online contests (#TostitosPinataParty), interactive party-invite creators, influencer videos, and audio challenges, Tostitos keeps fans engaged year-round. These digital efforts amplify the brand’s party image to a broad audience and make Tostitos a topic of online conversation during key party seasons.
5. Celebrity and Influencer Endorsements
Tostitos often enlists celebrities and influencers to draw attention to its campaigns, especially those who fit its fun, social image. Besides athletes (as noted above), the brand uses actors, TV personalities and comedians. A notable example is Alfonso Ribeiro, known for “Fresh Prince” and hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos. Ribeiro became the face of the 2018 Super Bowl invite campaign, hosting the personalized video invites. By featuring a recognizable celebrity who resonates with a broad audience, Tostitos gave its “Super Bowl Ads for All” campaign greater appeal and shareability. Ribeiro even made live appearances at Tostitos events, reinforcing the campaign’s visibility.
Tostitos also casts comedic actors in its ads to attract attention. In one recent campaign, for example, the brand featured film and TV comedians Kate McKinnon and Dan Levy in a series of humorous commercials (taglined “For the Love of Chips and Dip”). These ads played on their comedic personas to create funny party scenarios. (In fact, Marketing Dive noted images of McKinnon and Levy for this campaign.) By associating with popular comedy figures, Tostitos taps into their fan bases and gives its snack ads a light-hearted tone.
Musicians and cultural icons have appeared as well. For example, the Cinco de Mayo campaign in 2018 included an original music video by JASH. The video featured cameos by Latino pop artists and was promoted through Tostitos channels. This use of entertainers and creators helps the brand align with the cultural side of the celebrations it targets.
Even on social media, Tostitos partners with influencers. It has worked with food and lifestyle influencers to showcase recipes and party ideas using Tostitos chips and dips. Although such promotions are often co-marketed via Instagram or TikTok, they underline the message that Tostitos is part of an enjoyable lifestyle.
Celebrity endorsements serve as attention-grabbers in Tostitos’s strategy. Whether it’s football legends reminding you of snack-time or Hollywood comedians making you laugh, these personalities raise awareness of Tostitos in the context of entertainment and celebrations. By choosing figures who embody fun, the brand reinforces its own image. And by having stars make appearances (like Ribeiro hosting invite sign-ups or Brady/Edelman cracking jokes in commercials), Tostitos campaigns feel bigger and more newsworthy.
6. Sonic Branding and Audio Identity
Tostitos has innovated with sonic branding as a way to stand out in an audio-heavy media environment. In 2022 the brand created a distinctive 1.5-second audio logo to go along with its visual identity. Instead of the obvious “crunch” of a chip, Tostitos’s sound was carefully crafted by recording the pops of jars (queso, guac, salsa) and the bite of a chip. The result is a brief musical riff that plays at the end of ads. In tests, this sonic identity produced a 38% increase in brand recall when listeners heard it. In other words, people remembered Tostitos more when that jingle was included.
The marketing rationale is that audio cues can follow consumers across platforms – from TV to streaming to podcasts – so having a memorable jingle helps embed the brand in people’s minds. Tostitos’s marketing team explicitly aimed for a sound that could only be Tostitos, to avoid generic effects like a doorbell ring that other brands use. The brief tune was designed so it could appear without crowding ad content, but still serve as an audio signature.
Since its launch, Tostitos has been weaving the sonic logo into campaigns. For example, the Dan Levy ads mentioned earlier include the audio logo at the end. Beyond ads, the brand even announced a TikTok “Tostitos Sample Pack” challenge to encourage user-generated content. The idea is that TikTok creators can use components of the Tostitos sound (the jar pops, etc.) as building blocks to make their own jingles or remixes. This effectively turns the audio logo into a form of shareable content.
Overall, the use of a sonic brand is a relatively new strategy for a snack chip, but it fits Tostitos’s goal of staying culturally relevant. By claiming a unique audio identity and activating it in social media, the brand can maintain top-of-mind recall and engage younger audiences on platforms like TikTok. It also underscores the multi-sensory appeal of the product – Tostitos isn’t just about taste and visuals, but about a signature sound of celebration as well.
7. Product Innovation and Limited Editions
Tostitos continually updates its product line with new flavors and forms to excite consumers and create newsworthy marketing hooks. This product innovation is part of its strategy – introducing limited-time items or new permanent products gives the brand fresh stories to tell. A clear example is the way Tostitos has played up Cinco de Mayo-themed flavors. In 2018 the brand introduced a limited-edition Sopapilla Cinnamon & Sugar chip under its Cantina line. Inspired by a traditional Mexican sweet pastry, these chips combined cinnamon and sugar for a dessert-like twist. Along with the flavor, Tostitos ran the aforementioned digital piñata campaign and music video to promote it. The novelty flavor (sold only April–May 2018) reinforced Tostitos’s association with Mexican celebration traditions.
More recently, Tostitos has leaned into global food trends. In January 2026 it launched “Mexican Street Corn” flavored chips (inspired by elote). These chips blended savory spices with a corn-on-the-cob sweetness, aligning with the growing popularity of street food flavors. This launch was positioned as Tostitos’s first innovation of 2026, signaling an “expansive innovation agenda” for the brand. In press coverage, Tostitos emphasized that the new chips use traditional masa processing and have no artificial flavors or colors – fitting PepsiCo’s broader push (by end of 2025, all Tostitos products were free of artificial colors, flavors or preservatives). In marketing terms, this innovation serves multiple purposes: it attracts consumers with a new taste experience and it feeds into the brand’s messaging of authenticity and quality ingredients. (Tostitos’s VP noted the campaign was partly meant to remind fans about the “quality ingredients and time-honoured craft” in Tostitos chips.)
Beyond special flavors, Tostitos regularly expands its core lineup. The Cantina brand itself was launched to target millennials with thinner, bold-flavored chips. The main Tostitos line introduced variants like Hint-of Lime, Hint-of Pepper Jack, and restaurant-style (larger chips) over the years. For each new product, Tostitos often accompanies marketing campaigns. For instance, Hint of Lime chips were promoted through tie-ins with Mexican cuisine, and Cantina Jalapeño Popper dip (a variation) was launched alongside a Cinco de Mayo campaign in 2018. Each innovation refreshes the brand, giving retailers and media something new to talk about.
Limited-time promotions also feature in seasonal marketing. Tostitos has released Halloween-themed packaging, football-tailgate deals, and university-specific college football editions on university campuses in the past (not cited here), capitalizing on moments when snack consumption spikes. By innovating products (flavors, shapes, and packaging) that fit event themes, Tostitos keeps its image dynamic.
In summary, product innovation is both a marketing strategy and a product strategy. Introducing eye-catching new chips (like cinnamon-sugar sopapilla or elote chips) draws consumer and press interest, while staying true to Tostitos’s fiesta theme. The brand often couples each product launch with a promotional campaign that highlights its festive nature. This approach helps Tostitos remain relevant in a crowded snack category and provides fresh angles for storytelling in its marketing campaigns.
Conclusion
Tostitos’ marketing success is built on clarity of purpose, consistency of positioning, and deep consumer insight. By anchoring itself to social occasions rather than individual cravings, the brand has carved out a powerful and defensible space in the snack food market.
Its ability to evolve—embracing digital media, purpose-led storytelling, and experiential marketing—while staying true to its core idea of togetherness makes Tostitos a benchmark brand in FMCG marketing. In an industry crowded with flavors and formats, Tostitos proves that owning moments can be more powerful than owning taste alone.
Also Read: Marketing Strategies And Brand Campaigns of Pepsico
To read more content like this, subscribe to our newsletter
