What do Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez and Walton Goggins all have in common? It’s not a red carpet premiere, but major food companies are hoping their star power will inspire Americans to snack again.
Earnings from Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, General Mills, J.M. Smucker, and The Campbell’s Company in recent weeks have all showed sluggish sales in North America. Consumers continue to pull back spending on name brand products, opting to either to buy cheaper store labels or not buy snacks at all.
“It’s a difficult time because people are seeing their budgets get tighter, and as much as they enjoy snacking and snacking brands give them pleasure, it can be something to cut off their shopping lists,” said Jenny Zegler, director of Mintel Food and Drink, a consumer analysis firm. “Snacking is more of a fun purchase.”
So, companies are amping up the celebrity partnerships to lure eaters back.
Salty and sweet
Executives for Mondelēz, which makes numerous household staples like Ritz, Oreos and Wheat Thins, said on its July 29 earnings call that “consumer anxiety” and a “shift to essential items” hurt North American sales. The company reported a 3.5% decline in revenue.
A standout was Ritz, which generated $1.5 billion in sales last year. But even that brand is experiencing a “slowdown” in demand in recent months, according to Steven Saenen, the category president for savory snacks at Mondelēz, so it’s looking to modernize.
The 91-year-old salty cracker brand is introducing new flavors to attract Gen Z eaters, like a swicy- Incorporating the trendy hot honey flavor, providing budget-friendly bulk options, and partnering with the famous Bad Bunny.
Saenen hopes the Bad Bunny collaboration will spark sales with the growing Latino demographic. The singer starred in Ritz’s first-ever Super Bowl adPreviously this year, the brand broadened their collaboration by sponsoring his completely booked.residency in Puerto Rico.
Saenen informed the Muara Digital Team, “He is a genuine cultural symbol for diverse and Hispanic communities. Furthermore, he openly admits to being a fan of the Ritz brand, making this, in our opinion, an ideal partnership.”
Oreo, another brand under Mondelēz, collaborated with Selena Gomez, a versatile Latin celebrity, to develop a cookie with a unique inspiration.her love of horchata, a chilled, sweet beverage typically crafted from pulverized rice or nuts and seasoned with cinnamon.
Building on the success of a 2020 partnership with Lady Gaga and another with Post Malone in 2025, this approach leverages celebrity-designed flavors to attract new clientele and boost brand recognition among Generation Z.
Michelle Deignan, Oreo US’s vice president, previously informed Muara Digital Team that collaborations have “grown in significance as consumers’ budgets shrink and they have less money to spare.” She added, “We’ve observed that establishing trustworthy partnerships, such as the one with Selena, convinces consumers to spend their money.”
According to a Mondelēz representative, Gomez’s Oreo cookie ranked among the brand’s three most successful product introductions, although they stated it was premature to release concrete sales figures.
According to Mintel’s Zegler, celebrity partnerships allow consumers to rationalize spending more money, as they represent “a fusion of elements I recognize and already appreciate.”
She also mentioned that certain brands are attempting to maintain consumer interest and evoke feelings of enjoyment, happiness, and anticipation associated with their products.
A hint of heat.
Doritos, known for its recent launch of anew “Golden Sriracha”This flavor aims to replicate the popularity of “Cool Ranch” and “Nacho Cheese.”
The PepsiCo-owned chip tapped Walton Goggins to help garner attention. “The White Lotus” actor stars in a cheeky ad that spoofs 1970s adult films, portraying a plumber visiting a stunning blonde at her home. As their suggestive dialogue nears its peak, Goggins shatters the mood by detailing the plumbing problem with technical jargon.
James Wade, Doritos’ senior marketing director, stated, “You anticipate the movie taking a ‘spicy turn,’ but Walton’s character introduces a plot twist before it gets too intense. The concept mirrors the chip itself – it promises spice, but doesn’t truly deliver.”
PepsiCo might need a jolt: The volume of sales for its North American food sector decreased by 1% in the last quarter. Data from NIQ also shows that sales in the corn chip category, which includes Doritos, fell by 1% in the year leading up to July 26.
Zegler doesn’t expect star collaborations to fade anytime soon, especially since the major food brands have an advantage over private labels: bigger ad budgets.
“Consumers rethinking how much they’re going to buy of some of these brands is going to remain a constant, so that’s where these limited edition releases or marketing campaigns might help keep a brand in the shopping cart,” she said. “These crossovers help with that relevancy.”
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