Tostitos bag helps football fans ‘Party Safe’

A limited-edition, sensor-equipped snack bag changes color when alcohol is detected, reminding Super Bowl fans not to drink and drive after the party. Promo codes provide discounts on Uber.

When alcohol is detected, the black bag reveals a red steering wheel with the messaging, ‘Don’t drink and drive.’
When alcohol is detected, the black bag reveals a red steering wheel with the messaging, ‘Don’t drink and drive.’

Tostitos tortilla chips are all about the party. The popular snack food from Frito-Lay can often be found at the center of social gatherings. For the 2017 Super Bowl, Tostitos was all about keeping the party safe as well. The brand’s limited-edition 2-oz Party Safe bag, designed by advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, used smart technology to remind football fans not to drink and drive after the party. It also gave them a way to get home safely if they had imbibed too much.

Unlike Tostitos’ typical brightly colored background, the Party Safe bag was black, with a sensor near the top and the instructions “blow here.” The sensor was connected to a microcontroller calibrated to detect small traces of alcohol on a person’s breath. When any trace was detected, LEDs in the bag would turn red and form a steering wheel, revealing an Uber code and a “Don’t drink and drive” message. Using NFC technology, fans could then touch the bag with their phone to call for a free Uber ride. If no alcohol was present, a green steering wheel would be revealed. In “standby” mode, the steering wheel was blue.

Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Discover cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions in the inaugural Packaging World/ProFood World Innovations Report. From high-speed filling machines to mono-material lids, see how the latest advancements from PACK EXPO International 2024 are driving safety, sustainability, and extended shelf life—shaping the future of dairy food and beverage packaging.
Access Now
Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach
When material costs rise and margins shrink, efficient cleaning becomes critical. Learn cost-effective sanitation strategies that enhance food safety while reducing resource consumption.
Read More
Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach