Clouds can look like anything from elephants to Elvis, and Cheetos are frequently subject to that same artistic interpretation, so the snack brand is taking advantage of its product's mimetic qualities in the new Cheetos Museum. Built in partnership with another museum of curios, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, the New York City Museum features actual Cheetos taken directly from snack bags around the US.
The physical Cheetos Museum is the first of its kind, but the museum currently showcases the best submissions from an online-only submission contest Cheetos hosted in 2016. Entries remain open for the museum through the same online portal, and every week the best submissions will earn $5,000 each as well as a spot in the annals of Cheetos fame.
The displays are split between Cheetos two flavors: Original and Flaming Hot.
What's Driving This Trend
- Snack Museums
- The rise of themed snack museums tapping into nostalgia and consumer desire for unique experiences.
- User-generated Content Contests
- Brands offering incentives for consumers to create and share content on social media leads to authentic customer engagement.
- Collaborations in Curation
- Brands partnering with established museums and galleries provides new opportunities for showcasing products in a new context.
Who This Affects Most
- Snack Foods
- The snack industry can explore opportunities in product-themed exhibits and in-store experiences.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Marketing firms have increasing opportunities to create and manage user-generated content contests on behalf of brands.
- Museums and Galleries
- Collaborations between brands and museums may become a new way to drive unique exhibits that appeal to younger audiences.
