Frito-Lay renews FIFA partnership for Women's World Cup

The GIST: Frito-Lay’s new deal is champion-chip material. On Wednesday, the snack company renewed its partnership with FIFA to become the latest sponsor for July’s Women’s World Cup (WWC) and revealed its plans for its largest-ever investment in women’s sports.

The details: Many Frito-Lay brands — including Doritos and Quaker — will release WWC–themed packaging in North America and tourney co-hosts Australia and New Zealand. The campaign also marks the return of Cracker Jill, who debuted on Cracker Jack bags to celebrate women in baseball ahead of the 2022 MLB season.

The context: Women’s sports are having a moment at Frito-Lay’s parent PepsiCo. From Gatorade’s decision to dump men’s sports a year ago to anointing Starry as the official beverage of the WNBA earlier this year, the conglomerate has intentionally increased marketing spend in the space — and hopes other brands follow suit. That’s what we like.

Zooming out: The WWC’s stature makes it a natural fit for any brand wanting to make a mark in women’s sports, but visibility isn’t the only perk. Soccer fans are typically loyal to brands that invest in the sport — a whopping 59% would choose a sponsor over a rival brand if price and quality were the same. Have your cake snack and eat it, too.