Frito-Lay Encourages Girls to Study STEM
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay ushered in the 2022 back-to-school season by reigniting its mission to drive more girls around the world to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
In a multi-faceted omnichannel campaign, Frito-Lay’s variety packs mark the return of its “Back-to-School Blast Off” program. The snack brand teamed up with actress and science-fiction star Sonequa Martin-Green to help support its cause effort and draw brand awareness.
This year, Frito-Lay partnered with STEM Next's Million Girls Moonshot, an initiative that aims to engage one million more girls in STEM learning opportunities through after-school and summer programs by 2025. The brand also pledged to donate $100,000 to further the program's mission and send the organization's inaugural Flight Crew of aspiring space explorers to Space Camp.
The Blast Off campaign includes special packaging for Frito-Lay variety packs that flaunts a space- and STEM-themed logo featuring Martin-Green and a QR code that links to a dedicated microsite (FritoLayVarietyPacks.com/BlastOff). The site highlights the Million Girls Moonshot initiative as well as Frito-Lay’s own efforts, including STEM activities created by NASA scientists using everyday household items, such as designing a heat shield or building a moon lander.
In addition, when consumers share a picture of their family's Blast Off activity with #SpaceForHer and #Entry on Instagram and/or Twitter they will be entered for a chance to have a ceremonial star named after a girl they know who is passionate about STEM. For every photo shared on Instagram/Twitter, Frito-Lay will make a $20 donation to Million Girls Moonshot (up to $50,000) in addition to the brand's original $100,000 donation. Plus, each ceremonial star gift will be featured on the interactive map and comes with a customized framed certificate of the star and a Frito-Lay variety pack.
Frito-Lay launched an interactive map on the website with a constellation of the ceremonial stars, noting their coordinates and names. The map will continue to grow through the duration of the program to serve as a place where girls can see their “galaxy-sized dreams come to life,” without a telescope, according to the release.
Support for the campaign includes social media activity, retailer circular features and branded in-store displays located across retailers. Like the special BTS variety pack design, some in-store displays also depict QR codes linking to the dedicated microsite and resemble a combination of a school bus and spaceship.
"Frito-Lay variety packs has always been an important staple of the back-to-school season, and we're thrilled to celebrate young girls in STEM alongside Sonequa Martin-Green and Million Girls Moonshot," said Danielle O'Keefe, senior director of brand marketing for Frito-Lay variety packs, in the release. "While we aspire to deliver joy through our snacks, we also seek to use our position to do more. This year we want to make our impact even more meaningful as we continue to support the dreams of young girls everywhere."
Frito-Lay variety packs launched the Blast Off campaign in 2021 through a $150,000 donation to establish the "Space for Her" scholarship fund, which gave girls from under-represented communities the opportunity to go to Space Camp. As part of the scholarship, the brand also created the "Space for Her-os" mentorship program, which connected scholarship winners to mentors within the science and technology sectors.