Fumble at the Goal Line: A Critique of Siete Foods’ Super Bowl Swing
Ever heard of Siete Foods? You might not recognize the name off the top of your head, but I can guarantee you’ve seen their products in your average boutique grocery store or Whole Foods. I am sure your local bodega even carries this brand if you live in a gentrified neighborhood somewhere in Brooklyn. Anyway, I was doing a bit of digging on digital marketing campaigns, and I stumbled upon this reel by Siete Foods. I was quickly disappointed. I know the campaign wasn’t intended to serve a greater purpose other than to promote Siete Foods chips for the Super Bowl. Still, it could have been more impressive considering their success and half a million Instagram followers. I went ahead and checked out a few of their other reels that, while not as interesting, seemed more intentional. But before I digress any further, let’s break down why this marketing campaign lacked in more areas than one.
Interesting concept / Poor execution…
As mentioned by Flying V Group, humans are visual people and retain information 40% faster when looking at something. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m a stickler for aesthetics. Marketing is about selling a product, service, or person. Visual aesthetics matter. I promise. The marketing campaign aimed to promote Siete Food’s collaboration with Sprouts, a supermarket chain. This campaign was released just before the Superbowl, hence the football theme. Before I go full-on critic mode, I thought the idea was very clever. In the video, the individuals (team Fuego vs team Sea Salt) scrimmage in one of the aisles of Sprout, and team Fuego wins. I am assuming the concept of this campaign was an attempt at being relevant, aware, and witty, and I’ll give them that. But the filming looked like it was done on an iphone. A good iphone, but an iphone nonetheless. Okay, maybe I am being a bit dramatic, but the filming technique did not seem very high-tech. That already took points off in my book. In addition, the people in the video looked a little too casual. Once again, I know this ad wasn’t meant to save lives, but a little cohesiveness would have been appreciated.
Kinda lame?..
Another thing that stuck out to me was the lack of humor. I caught myself sitting with an “I’m half smiling because I feel bad, but this is so embarrassing for you” face. The script was predictable, slightly cringe at that. And while there were some attempts at jokes, none landed the way Siete intended. As Marketers, we all know how important humor is in digital campaigns to hook, engage, and win over consumers. Instagram users arn’t on the app looking for mediocre content, frankly, no one is. According to Forbes, ads are meant to be funny, considering they are just ads. Campaigns for a healthy snack brand should serve as mere entertainment, and while I know that's what Siete Foods was going for, they missed the mark. Maybe I’m being a little judgmental, but that's how this specific marketing campaign translated.
Final Thoughts...
I encourage you to watch the campaign and form your own opinion. Mine is that Siete Foods had a solid concept and perfect timing but poor execution. As I said, I enjoy some of their other short-form content, where they make recipes and demonstrate different ways you can enjoy their chips. But if they want to make longer-form content with more of a story, they should aim slightly higher. I know it doesn’t necessarily sound like it, but I am rooting for Siete Foods. I love their chips. I just wish their taste was as strong in their online presence.
