As the sports marketing landscape becomes more crowded and costly, Lay’s is taking an unconventional route to connect with fans: WhatsApp.
The PepsiCo-owned snack brand has launched a FIFA World Cup “watch party†via Meta’s WhatsApp Channels, featuring high-profile names like Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Alexia Putellas, Thierry Henry, and Steve Carell. Fans can view photos, voice notes, and messages around the tournament, though the channels operate as one-way broadcasts, limiting engagement to likes, shares, guides, and quizzes.
This marks the fourth year of Lay’s “No Lay’s, No Game†campaign and the first time it’s expanded from the Super Bowl to the World Cup. Alexis Porter, VP Marketing at PepsiCo Global Foods, told Digiday, “Our strategy is not about necessarily being in every sport. We’re making deliberate choices about growing sports — sports that are widely adopted and people are excited about.â€
Beyond visibility, the initiative is a first-party data play. By tracking fan engagement, flavor preferences, team affinity, and player picks, Lay’s aims to deepen its connection with sports audiences outside traditional social media. “Ultimately, it does help us with conversion and a broader relationship with the brand, but you can’t have that unless you put something out there that is worthy of coming back,†Porter said.
Experts see this as the next evolution of sports marketing. Mick Sutter, chief creative officer at WHITE64, noted, “It’s no longer just about a logo on a jersey or a TV spot during the match. Brands want to behave like fans inside the culture of the sport.â€
With global live sports ad spend projected to top $1 trillion this year, brands like Lay’s are betting that immersive fan experiences—like WhatsApp watch parties—are the key to cutting through the noise.