Super Bowl Snack Ads Are Holding the Vegas Strip Hostage

The Super Bowl is being hosted in Las Vegas for the first time ever on Sunday, February 11, and already both teams have touched down, Taylor Swift is reportedly jetting in from Japan, and news crews are taking up residence across Las Vegas Boulevard. But one unprecedented impact of Super Bowl LVIII and its absolute inundation of multi-million-dollar marketing opportunities is the abject snack-ification of the Las Vegas Strip.

Let the record state: The iconic Luxor pyramid is now a Dorito chip. The Mirage volcano — which already isn’t long for this world — has been turned into a snowy mountain for the Paramount+ streaming service. And the miniature Brooklyn Bridge replica in front of the New York-New York Hotel & Casino will debut tomorrow with a whole Cheetos wedding chapel in which people will actually get married. The skyline is essentially just one big billboard.

It’s all very orange.

Doritos

We all know that brands throw their money at the Super Bowl to produce high-budget television ads. But the Las Vegas Strip hasn’t seen takeovers with this scale of production value since — okay, well since the Formula One Grand Prix a few months ago. So maybe Vegas is actually built for this kind of thing.

But seriously, what’s the deal with all the chip brands? Turns out that the Luxor takeover is part of a Doritos sweepstakes in which fans can take a photo of the Luxor building on Snapchat to enter to win a ticket to Sunday’s game. The brand will also set up a slot machine on Fremont Street on Friday, February 9, and at Allegiant Stadium on (Super Bowl) Sunday, February 11, to give away its Dinamita flavor chips.

At the New York-New York, the Cheetos wedding chapel will be part of a “Chip Strip” that opens tomorrow. Inside the Cheetos Chapel, a Chester hologram (is it even legal to be married by a hologram?) will do the honors of marrying a fan — complete with Chester-approved wedding attire and a Cheetos-inspired cake ball truffle. The casino’s facade will otherwise be obscured by a Flamin’ Hot stretch limo and duels in which visitors can face off with oversized foam chips. The Chip Strip will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, February 8, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, February 9 and on Saturday, February 10, and part of Sunday, February 11.

Frito-Lay

Frito-Lay

Tostitos is also getting in on the Super Bowl, hosting a “Tost by Tostitos” pop-up restaurant that serves tacos, tostadas, and chips with salsa. Pepsi is hosting a bizarre activation where visitors can confess personal secrets to Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua in exchange for the chance to win merchandise or game tickets. That’s happening from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, February 8 through Saturday, February 10, at the Grand Bazaar Shops.

Basically, everything is extremely chip-forward.

As for Paramount at the Mirage, the surrounding area is turning into the “Expedition Vegas” Fan Experience on Thursday, February 8 through Super Bowl Sunday. It will have interactive games, photo opportunities, exhibits, giveaways, and more, themed to its shows. A Nickelodeon zone will have a slime portal, a Survivor area will host an immunity challenge, and a South Park activation will have photo opportunities with characters. It will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 8 through February 9; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 10; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 11.

Paramount

Beyond the brand activations, there are still loads of tailgates, parties, and ways to catch the game in Las Vegas this weekend. Then maybe Vegas can get back to normal again. You know — general debauchery, luxury, and overconsumption free from the chaos that comes with big sporting events. Or maybe after March Madness, anyway.