LADY DORITOS LIKELY A PLOY TO TEST THE MARKET, BUT THEY COULD STILL BECOME A REAL THING.
TORON TO • The maker of Doritos is hardly in a crunch after chatter about daintier corn chips marketed toward women sparked a visceral reaction — in fact, an analyst says comments from the CEO of PepsiCo Inc. were likely a ploy to test the market.
PepsiCo issued a statement Tuesday calling reporting on the launch of such a product “inaccurate,” adding “we already have Doritos for women — they’re called Doritos.”
CEO Indra Nooyi created the uproar by saying on a Freakonomics podcast last week that women don’t like licking their fingers while eating the snack, pouring the crumbs into their mouths, or munching loudly in public.
She added the brand was “getting ready to launch a bunch” of Doritos designed for women and packaged to fit their purses.
Though it may have seemed like a misstep, a Canadian marketing expert says it may be a calculated way to get free advertising and test consumers’ willingness to purchase gender-based food.
Nooyi is a seasoned food industry veteran, who knew what she was doing and was “trying to tap into the market,” said Jordan LeBel, an associate food marketing professor at Concordia University.
“Nooyi is known for pushi ng the envelope … She knows the power of her words,” said LeBel. “This could be just to test the response. If all hell breaks and people think this is scandalous and it won’t sell, it gives PepsiCo something to work with.”
He said Doritos that appeal to women are likely on PepsiCo’s radar because for years companies have developed gendered products, largely because their research tells them there is a demand for them. When products tackling such issues make it to market they’re often confronted with outrage, which makes deciding when and how to release them tough.
Stonemill Bakehouse Ltd. faced backlash when it launched a women’s bread that was baked to be “milder” and light-textured.”
Meanwhile, Ferrero SpA caught flak for Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs for girls that came wrapped in pink and filled with miniature dolls and Bic had to cope from criticism from comedian Ellen DeGeneres over pens “for her,” which featured a “thin barrel to fit a woman’s hand,” pink and lavender colour scheme and an “elegant design — just for her!”
As for “lady Doritos,” model Chrissy Teigen, Glee star Jane Lynch, comedian Kathy Griffin, and actress Busy Philipps took to social media to slam the idea.