Cappuccino potato chips?

I like cappuccino.

I like potato chips.

But I refuse to eat cappuccino potato chips.

Seriously, WTF Lay's? (Or maybe that should be "Lay's WTF Potato Chips.")

For those of you who, like me, were on vacation in July and missed the news, on July 17, Lay's

announced the four finalist flavors in its Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” contest. Lay’s Cappuccino, Lay’s Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese, Lay’s Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger and Lay’s Wavy Mango Salsa flavored potato chips were selected as finalists from the more than 14 million entries submitted to the contest between January 13 and April 5, 2014.

Lay's goes on to state that "all four finalist flavors have been fully developed by Frito-Lay’s culinary experts." (I can only imagine what that job must have been like... and what their current life expectancy is.)

Lest you think this is some kind of joke, all four flavors are currently available on supermarket shelves (my foodie friend Molly posted a picture of the Cappuccino Lay's bag, taken on a recent supermarket run, on her Facebook page) and "the finalist behind the winning idea taking home a $1 million grand prize."

I am so in the wrong line of work.

One million dollars for coming up with Cappuccino potato chips... or Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese potato chips, or Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger potato chips or Wavy Mango Salsa flavored potato chips.

(What, no beer-flavored potato chips?!)

Just take a minute for that to settle in. 

Btw, the guy who submitted the Cappuccino Potato Chip idea is getting his PhD (in Food Science?) at Texas A&M and is currently a visiting lecturer at UNLV.

Ironically (?), Lay's Cappuccino potato chips have no caffeine, which, to me, is a total buzzkill.

But maybe I'm being too critical. Maybe Cappuccino potato chips (even without the caffeine) are an effing brilliant idea. Ditto Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese potato chips. (Though isn't the name a bit redundant?) Or Wasabi Ginger potato chips. Or Mango Salsa chips. (I do like mango salsa, albeit on tortilla chips.)

What do you all think? Would any of you actually eat any of these chips?

(Here's the "Do Us a Flavor" press release from Lay's if you want to learn more, or vote for your favorite potato chip flavor.)

The purr-fect direct marketing campaign?

I've been in marketing a long time, and I've seen some great direct marketing campaigns. However, this direct mail campaign for kitty litter, targeting cats, is one of the most creative I've seen.

Talk about a purr-fect setup -- using a cat to get to the owner, by printing your kitty litter offer on catnip-laced paper. 



And according to Rethink Communications, the catnip campaign is working.

Though I wonder if this could be the start of a disturbing new trend. What's next, offers for brownies printed on pot-laced flyers? (Speaking of which....)

In any case, my marketing hat is off to Rethink, for its out-of-the-litter-box thinking.