Frito-Lay Goes For The Bold. And Nearly Gets It.

“It’s about people,” they say, before they make it about the brand.

The new Frito-Lay “It’s about people” commercial starts with facts and empathy. It sets a tone that we all yearn for in this moment. We need hope and faith in each other right now — a commitment to do right by one another. And we need everyone. Politicians, newscasters, CEOs, preachers, weathermen, and yes, even corporations, need to step up and respond to this moment in our nation’s history.

We have for so long been told that the fate of America’s corporations is the fate of our economy, and that this is the fate of our nation. So we likewise believe that our corporations might be able to save us in a time of crisis.

However, the commercial’s promising premise is cheapened by its final call to action where, in the moment of truth, they undermine their powerful message to remind us that it’s just a commercial, and it is just a brand.

When it starts, the commercial catches your attention with its stark contrast to the glitter and pomp of prime time TV and the show and ads around it.