Goats for Messi – Lay's 2023 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Goats for Messi - Lay's | Clapboard Ad Archive

Lay's Goats for Messi campaign in 2023 marked a strategic and culturally attuned effort by the snack giant to capitalize on Lionel Messi’s high-profile arrival to the US soccer landscape, leveraging his global status as the G.O.A.T.—Greatest Of All Time—to create a compelling brand moment that transcends conventional product advertising. By anchoring the campaign’s creative narrative around Messi’s celebrated persona and the playful duality of the word goat, Lay's positioned itself not just as a snack but as a symbol of excellence and celebration aligned with one of the most iconic figures in sports history. This approach sidestepped traditional product demonstrations or direct comparisons, instead relying on Messi’s ongoing image and the cultural cachet he carries to generate instant recognition, emotional resonance, and consumer engagement, a technique that fits neatly into Clapboard’s FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES—using a recurring personality for brand recall. The campaign’s single film asset, designed for digital platforms, harnessed the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding Messi’s US debut to amplify Lay’s relevance among a broad demographic of sports fans and snack consumers who value authenticity and top-tier performance both on and off the field. Its narrative simplicity, underscored by the tagline We had to do it for the G.O.A.T. Welcome to the US, Messi!, created a culturally resonant touchpoint that linked Lay’s snack experience to moments of shared joy and sporting greatness, enhancing brand visibility and affinity without resorting to overt product selling. Garnering over three million views and sparking significant online interaction, the campaign demonstrated effective digital storytelling that melded sport, popular culture, and lifestyle, a vital formula in the competitive confectionery and snacks sector where emotional connection often drives consumer choice. Lay's deployment of humor and playful symbolism alongside Messi’s iconic status allowed the brand to stand out amid a crowded marketplace that includes competitors with distinct positioning such as Pringles’ premium innovation, Ruffles’ bold flavor focus, and Cape Cod’s artisanal craftsmanship. The campaign earns 73/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. This campaign matters to the industry because it shows how snack brands can harness celebrity-driven cultural moments to create brand narratives that resonate deeply with contemporary audiences while avoiding traditional product-centric storytelling.

Credits

Client

Lay's

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Goats for Messi" campaign by Lay's, launched in the United States in July 2023, strategically aligns the brand with one of the most iconic figures in sports, Lionel Messi, positioning Lay's as a contemporary and culturally relevant snack choice. The campaign’s core proposition centers on associating Lay's with excellence, celebration, and a shared cultural moment, leveraging the acronym G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) to imply that choosing Lay’s is synonymous with choosing the best. By welcoming Messi to the US market, Lay's taps into the excitement surrounding his arrival, reinforcing the brand as part of a larger narrative of top-tier performance and enthusiasm. From a market strategy perspective, the campaign intelligently targets a broad demographic of sports fans and general consumers who admire Messi’s status and value authenticity and high performance, both on and off the field. The creative angle employs a culturally resonant figure to foster emotional engagement, moving beyond simple product promotion to a narrative that celebrates achievement and unity. The use of film as the medium enhances storytelling, allowing dynamic visual and emotional expression that likely contributed to the strong digital traction—over three million views and significant user engagement on YouTube. This approach capitalizes on the convergence of sports culture and consumer lifestyle, positioning Lay’s not just as a snack but as an integral element of celebratory moments, aiming to deepen brand loyalty through shared cultural touchpoints.

FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall. This campaign centers around welcoming Messi, one of the world's most recognizable sports celebrities, to the US, directly connecting the Lay's brand with his iconic "G.O.A.T." (Greatest Of All Time) status. The title "Goats for Messi" is a play on both Messi’s status and possibly literal goats as a visual gag or symbol, but the focus is the celebrity association. The campaign leverages Messi’s fame to create instant recognition, engagement, and brand recall, utilizing his ongoing image and persona rather than a problem-solution structure or complete story arc. No product demonstration or comparison is explicit, making the celebrity device the most defining creative technique.

1. Pringles – Market Positioning Pringles positions itself as a premium, uniquely shaped potato crisp brand offering consistent texture and flavor. Its value lies in distinctive packaging (re-sealable canisters) and a broad range of innovative, bold flavors targeting convenience seekers and flavor explorers in the snacks segment. 2. Herr’s – Market Positioning Herr’s emphasizes quality, heritage, and regional appeal with a focus on traditional, handcrafted-style snacks. It differentiates through authentic, locally inspired recipes and a diverse product portfolio aiming to connect with consumers seeking nostalgic and authentic snack experiences. 3. Ruffles – Market Positioning Ruffles markets itself as the robust, ridged potato chip perfect for dipping and bold flavor experiences. It targets consumers who want a hearty, satisfying snack, leveraging texture and strong flavor profiles to stand out in the crowded chip market. 4. Utz – Market Positioning Utz focuses on freshness and simplicity with an emphasis on smaller batch production and family-owned brand values. It differentiates by promoting natural ingredients and traditional snack-making processes, resonating with consumers who prefer artisanal and trustworthy snack brands. 5. Cape Cod – Market Positioning Cape Cod brands itself as a premium, kettle-cooked chip producer delivering extra crunch with all-natural ingredients. It targets consumers valuing authentic taste, artisanal craftsmanship, and less processed snacks, positioning itself as a healthier indulgence option in the potato chip segment.

Q: What is Lay's x Goats for Messi about? A: Lay's x Goats for Messi is a 2023 film campaign launched in the United States by Lay's, a leading brand in the confectionery and snacks industry. The campaign celebrates the arrival of football legend Lionel Messi to the US market by linking Lay's with his status as the Greatest Of All Time, or G.O.A.T. The central creative idea plays on this acronym, using Messi’s iconic sports persona to position Lay's as a snack choice synonymous with excellence and celebration. The campaign generated significant digital engagement, capturing the excitement around Messi’s move and reinforcing Lay's cultural relevance. Q: What creative device does Lay's x Goats for Messi use? A: Lay's x Goats for Messi employs the creative format classified by Clapboard as FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES, which uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall. This approach centers on Lionel Messi’s global recognition and ongoing persona rather than a traditional narrative or product demonstration. The campaign leverages Messi’s celebrity status as the defining creative technique, creating instant engagement and brand association through his image and reputation without relying on a problem-solution structure or explicit product comparison. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Lay's x Goats for Messi? A: The campaign proposition for Lay's x Goats for Messi strategically aligns the brand with Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T. status to position Lay's as a contemporary, culturally relevant snack choice. It targets sports fans and general consumers who admire authenticity and high performance, associating choosing Lay's with choosing the best. By welcoming Messi to the US, the campaign taps into a shared cultural moment of celebration and achievement, reinforcing Lay's as an integral part of top-tier performance and enthusiasm within the competitive snacks market. Q: How does Lay's x Goats for Messi rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Lay's x Goats for Messi holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 73/100 in Clapboard's global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in leveraging a high-profile celebrity to engage audiences and deliver a memorable brand message within the snack category. Q: Who are the competitors in Lay's category? A: Lay's competes with several key brands in the snacks category, each with distinct market positioning. Pringles presents itself as a premium, uniquely shaped potato crisp brand known for consistent texture and bold flavors targeting convenience seekers and flavor explorers. Herr’s emphasizes quality, heritage, and regional appeal through handcrafted-style snacks and authentic recipes. Ruffles focuses on robust, ridged chips designed for dipping and bold flavor experiences, appealing to consumers seeking hearty snacks. Utz promotes freshness and simplicity with smaller batch production and family-owned values, attracting those who prefer artisanal brands. Cape Cod positions itself as a premium kettle-cooked chip maker offering extra crunch and all-natural ingredients for consumers valuing authentic taste and less processed snacks.