Kate Bertrand Connolly, Freelance Writer

March 16, 2018

2 Min Read
Lay’s Potato Chip bags use smile power to help kids in need
When consumers buy a bag of Lay's Potato Chips printed with smiling faces, PepsiCo will make a donation to the Operation Smile charity.

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division is putting smiles on bags of Lay’s Potato Chips as part of its limited-time “Smile with Lay’s” campaign. For each purchase of one of the specially designed bags—which are printed with the smiles of real consumers—the brand is making a donation to Operation Smile, an international charity that helps young people who need surgery to correct cleft conditions.

The packaging design, which incorporates a diverse assortment of smiling faces, rolled out across the United States in February. Fourteen of Lay’s potato chip flavors are available in the grin-inducing food packaging. Sizes include 2.88-oz (three-serving) and 10-oz family-size bags.

In addition to buying Lay’s Smile bags in-store, consumers can go online to order a bag of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips printed with their own smile. Sarah Guzman, senior director of marketing, Lay’s, answers some questions about the packaging and the campaign.

How did Lay’s decide how many different smiles to print on bags of the various flavors?

Guzman: The bags showcase 40 different smiles from real people across the country. Lay’s is on a mission to spread smiles nationwide, so as part of the selection process, we tried to find a wide variety of smiles that would bring the most smiles to others. Fans can also have their own smile featured on a custom Lay’s bag by visiting www.Lays.com.

Examples of smiling faces on bags of different flavors of potato chips.

How do you handle distribution?

Guzman: All 40 of our Lay’s Smile bags are available at retailers nationwide, wherever Lay’s are sold, for a limited time: Feb. 12 through Apr. 7, 2018.

How will the bags communicate the campaign for Operation Smile? What other information about this campaign is on the packaging, including the back of the bag?

Guzman: For every purchase of Lay’s specially designed bags, a donation will be made to Operation Smile. Information about the donation is included on the back of the bag, in addition to steps on how fans can get involved with the campaign.

How have consumers responded to Lay’s Smile bags?

Guzman: Fans have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the Lay’s Smile bags, showing their support on social media by sharing images with their bags using #SmileWithLays. By engaging with our fans to play a significant role in supporting Operation Smile, we are creating an inclusive and empowering environment for consumers to celebrate the power of a smile—while at the same time giving a forever smile to children in need.

How much has Lay’s raised for Operation Smile?

At the end of the program, we will be donating a total of $1 million to Operation Smile.

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About the Author(s)

Kate Bertrand Connolly

Freelance Writer

Kate Bertrand Connolly has been covering innovations, trends, and technologies in packaging, branding, and business since 1981.

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