The Creative Challenge

The creative brief is to create a webpage for a Cheetos College Contest or Giveaway for college students to win a free supply of Cheetos for the duration of their college years. If they type in their first names, email addresses, and phone numbers into a form, they will be entered into the contest directly.

There should be one button for them to share the contest on Facebook and another to invite their friends to enter the contest and spread the word. There should also be a tick box accepting terms and conditions and the end date of the contest should be made clear.

The contest is designed to collect email addresses from this key demographic so that Cheetos can send them coupons and promotions and keep the Cheetos brand top-of-mind. The ad must be bold, fun, exciting, sassy/saucy/cheeky, promotional, and urgent.

The Audience

Students aged between 18–22 can join the contest. They already know and like Cheetos. They may or may not be living on campus. They may be at a 4-year college or a 2-year college.

My Approach

My idea for the ad was to lean in on the edgy tone of the Cheetos mascot, Chester Cheetah, who is like a hyper cool version of Top Cat. The story of the ad is told in his voice.

I was also interested in frat house initiation ceremonies and how a nerd becomes part of the in crowd and guarantees popularity, especially with women.

So the image is a bawdy scene of a nerdy student taking part in a drinking game, but the alcohol is replaced with a massive bowl of Cheetos - you guessed it,  the Cheetos that he won in The Great Always Hot For Cheetos College Giveaway.

Now he has a USP in college. Now he is on the map. Now he is a bonafide desirable guy. He will always be the Cheetos guy.