PepsiCo’s Ciara Dilley On The 5 Best Ways to Drive Product Growth

Build Purposeful Brands: People want to engage with brands that stand for something. At PepsiCo, we leverage our brands to create cultural impact and positive change for people and the planet. Programs like Lay’s RePlay drive impact and build positive recall while staying true to the brand’s ethos. These types of programs are opportunities that marketers should pursue with intention.

In the realm of business, particularly with regard to tech products, growth is the key to success. However, navigating the journey from ideation to expansion presents its own unique set of challenges. How does one devise a strategy to ensure sustained growth of a product in a competitive marketplace? What are the best practices, strategies, and methodologies to accomplish this? In this interview series, we would like to speak to experienced professionals who have successfully driven product growth. As part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ciara Dilley, Vice President of Marketing, International Foods, PepsiCo.

Ciara Dilley has been with PepsiCo for nine years, currently leading the global strategy for Lay’s and Quaker. She focuses building distinction for these brands with the goal of elevating PepsiCo’s food portfolio and sharing the joy of their products with consumers worldwide.

In this role, she collaborates closely with marketing teams across the globe to develop engaging communication, innovation, and activation ideas that push boundaries through initiatives like No Lay’s, No Game, while also driving positive impact with programs such as Lay’s RePlay and Quaker’s 100 Reasons to Rise.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series Ciara! Before diving in, our readers would love to learn more about you. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve always felt a deep passion for the power of brands and their ability to connect with people. Early in my career, I realized that I wanted to be a part of that process — helping to shape and drive brands that make a real difference in people’s lives. This passion is what led me here, working on some incredible programs and making a tangible impact. Also, being born in Ireland, I was fortunate to start my journey in a country that is truly a hub of creative excellence. Ireland is powered by one of the most talented, creative, hard-working, and experienced groups of professionals. The lessons and inspirations I gained from the Irish marketing community have been invaluable in shaping my approach and success in the global arena.

What led you to this specific career path?

Regarding my role at PepsiCo, this career path has been incredibly fulfilling for me. It’s taken me all over the world, allowing me to meet so many amazing people and learn so much about what it takes to create brands that resonate in all markets and the nuances of doing so.

One moment, I might be discussing how to bring a Quaker project to life with our team in Canada, and the next, I’m diving into consumer immersion sessions with our team in India. I love visiting stores, soaking in the local food culture, and bringing those insights back to our team to help us be better partners. No two days are the same, and that’s what makes it so exciting for me.

Can you share the most exciting story that has happened to you since you began at your company?

One of the most thrilling projects I have been a part of in my role is definitely the “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign platform. Launched in 2023, the program is based on the idea that watching football with friends is good, but watching football with Lay’s is even better. This year, we went even bigger with a Lay’s Chip Cam stunt that we filmed LIVE with football legends Thierry Henry and David Beckham. We had only 5 minutes to make it happen in front of 75,000 screaming fans at San Siro. There was so much energy, but also so many nerves!

I remember standing on the ground with our director, thinking about how crazy this idea was, but also how epic it would be if we succeeded — and we did.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

One of the exciting projects I had the pleasure of supporting earlier this year and is still ongoing is Lay’s RePlay, an initiative dedicated to reusing Lay’s chip bags, to create sustainable football pitches for deserving communities around the world. In fact, this May, we just unveiled our 11th pitch in Bilbao, Spain.

This initiative has many facets that go beyond just unveiling the pitches, which is one of the reasons I love this program and my role at PepsiCo — my role goes beyond marketing strategy and campaigns! Lay’s RePlay also provides access to sports training, educational resources, and a safe place to play, aiming to support socio-emotional growth driving community impact.

Do you have any mentors or experiences that have particularly influenced you?

I had a wonderful manager who was the CMO of Frito Lay and is now our President of Canada, Rachel Ferdinando. Rachel was an incredible believer in the power of brands and the strength of creative excellence in driving brand growth. She encouraged us each and every day to drive for excellence in our creative storytelling. She inspired us to strengthen our creative, to be braver in our approach and to listen to our consumers whilst trusting our expertise and gut.

What have been the most effective tactics your organization has used to accelerate product growth?

PepsiCo has evolved its global marketing strategy to support the growth of our foods portfolio. As part of this larger journey, we are focused on achieving global scale with local relevance through our brands. This means that during our creative processes in developing products or marketing campaigns, we are committed to personalization and localization across global markets. Localization is critical to the overall growth and success of our brands. No two markets are alike, so a one-size-fits-all solution will not drive growth as effectively as adapting to local market nuances, cultures, and flavor preferences. A perfect example of this is what we’ve done with Quaker.

When we launched Quaker’s first-ever global marketing platform, “You’ve Got This,” this year, we ensured that the commercial depicted the unique consumption rituals and habits relevant to each market. In some markets in Latin America, Quaker finds its way into the daily routine through a ‘licuado’ (smoothie) or ‘atole’ (traditional hot masa-based beverage) in a mug or bowl, whereas in Canada, it’s a bowl of hot porridge. Personalization is how we connect with consumer and that connection leads to growth.

What do you see as the biggest challenge with respect to scaling a product-led business?

As mentioned, there’s a universal appreciation for our iconic brand portfolio, but the challenge is always striking a balance between preserving this heritage and nostalgia while staying culturally relevant and appealing to today’s consumers. In addition, it can be challenging to maintain consistency as it relates to core brand values, while also abiding by any local market nuances.

This ties back to one of our key tactics: scaling global to local and ensuring our consumers feel the products and campaigns reflect their local culture and feel seen.

Can you describe a product growth tactic you or your team has used that was more effective than you anticipated? What was the goal, how did you execute, and what was the outcome?

Absolutely. In marketing, there’s often a tendency for brands to reinvent themselves each year, chasing the latest trends or flashy tactics. However, there is significant value in maintaining consistency with a single program, evolving it to remain innovative and creative while allowing it to grow.

We’ve achieved this with the “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign, which has been a tremendous success. Over 50 markets have adopted it, and it earned major accolades at Cannes this year. The results speak for themselves.

Following the initial success in 2023, some might have suggested moving on to something new. Instead, we doubled down on the program. Rather than abandoning it for the next big thing, we expanded and elevated it this year with the Chip Cam stunt. To build on our work with Thierry Henry and to generate excitement, we brought in new talent. Introducing David Beckham breathed new life into the campaign, underscoring our commitment to the football experience and allowing consumers to really understand what Lay’s wants to be known for.

Thank you for all of that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience, what are your “5 Best Ways to Drive Product Growth”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1. Understand Diverse Perspectives and Rituals of Your Audience: PepsiCo has a deep understanding of diverse consumer perspectives across markets, which is crucial for us, especially in my global role. What consumers value in Europe may differ elsewhere, so it’s important to adapt and meet each market’s unique needs. Marketers must reflect these nuances to drive growth.

2. Champion Personalized Experiences: Marketers must recognize the growing demand for personalized experiences, focusing on what truly matters to their target audience and prioritizing lifetime value over short-term gains.

3. Connect Brand Moments to Culture: Brands have a unique opportunity to influence culture. Understanding and engaging with cultural trends should be a key competency for all marketing teams.

4. Embrace the Power of Partnership: Our PepsiCo brands are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide every day, so reach and scale are crucial considerations in how we approach partnerships. Whether partnering with organizations like UEFA or collaborating with talents like David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, and many others, we strive to create meaningful partnerships that help grow our brands.

5. Build Purposeful Brands: People want to engage with brands that stand for something. At PepsiCo, we leverage our brands to create cultural impact and positive change for people and the planet. Programs like Lay’s RePlay drive impact and build positive recall while staying true to the brand’s ethos. These types of programs are opportunities that marketers should pursue with intention.

What is the number one mistake you see product marketers make that may actually be hurting their growth outcomes?

The number one mistake I see product marketers make that may actually be hurting their growth outcomes is not prioritizing innovation, leading to stagnation.

Many marketers become complacent with tried-and-true methods, failing to evolve and adapt to changing market trends. This lack of innovation can cause brands to lose relevance and fall behind more agile competitors. To maintain the attention of consumers and drive sustained growth, it’s essential to continually seek new, creative ways to engage with your audience and keep the brand fresh and exciting. However, continuing to innovate doesn’t mean doing it just for the sake of doing it. Innovation needs to be intentional, aligning with and enhancing the core values and message of your brand. This intentionality ensures consistency and strengthens what your brand is all about, making your innovations meaningful and effective in resonating with your audience.

It has been said that our mistakes can sometimes be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think some of my funniest mistakes are when we get so immersed in delivering the work, we forget to really check in with real consumers to ensure we’re on the right track. I worked in innovation in a previous role for a long time. We developed a low fat granola which was so hard that you could almost break your tooth on it! Of course, as the innovation lead my role was to sell it to our organization as hard as I could…literally as hard as I could! There came a moment when I’d received enough feedback that we decided perhaps the innovation wasn’t as good as we thought. It was a great lesson to always stand outside your role and truly be honest with the work you’re doing.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

Oh, I admire many great leaders especially strong female leaders who have overcome the odds to make their mark in the world and most importantly support others who are most in need. So, I would love a lunch with Malala Yousafazi, Michelle Obama, Jacinda Arden amazing women who have used their influence and their role to support other women to rise, to overcome obstacles and to contribute to a better world for all of us!

Thank you so much for this. This was very inspirational, and we wish you only continued success!