Groups Call for FTC to Investigate Doritos' Digital Marketing

Doritos' digital marketing campaigns targeting teens may have won a lot of awards, but they've also attracted the attention of consumer and privacy groups, four of which are now claiming the campaigns hoodwink gullible teens into buying the unhealthy, salty snack. In a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the groups, led by the Center for Digital Democracy, urge the commission to investigate and bring action against Pepsi-Co and its subsidiary Frito-Lay for "engaging in deceptive and unfair digital marketing practices," in violation of section 5 of the FTC Act.

"This complaint sheds a spotlight on practices that are increasingly used routinely in the industry, but which raise many troubling consumer protection and privacy concerns, especially when adolescents are the target," said Jeff Chester, the executive director of the CDD, which was joined by Consumer Action, Consumer Watchdog, and The Praxis Project in the complaint. The filing specifically focuses on the stealth interactive marketing and data collection used by Doritos in a number of games and entertainment campaigns, including Hotel 626, Asylum 626, and Late Night Concerts. Throughout the game and entertainment experience, players must post pictures of themselves, access Facebook and Twitter accounts, and scan codes on the packages of Doritos bags in order to advance, or control the game or concert.