SMS Advertising Hits the Streets

Mysteriously, an enormous banner showed up on Canal Street here in New York this past week that urges you to send a text message to '46691' with 'innw?' in the message. Turns out, it's Doritos ad that responds, "Doritos: what does 'innw?' mean? U culd win cul stuf frm Doritos, incl ipods, DigiCams, DVDs + mor! Reply w/ur best guess what it means now." Then you're rerouted to a website and have to enter a series of codes to see if your response is right. We just spent the past six hours entering in different guesses, who doesn't want cul stuf?

[Thanks, Ian Curry]

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

I nuked nachos when?

[joelr @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

the same ad is up in SF. I'm happy I kept forgetting to try it out.

[Craig @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

if not now, when? i think it was a super bowl ad.

[Bryan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

if not, now what?

[egork @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

I never needed what?

[Jesse @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Craig: Werd.

They ran several weird short TV commercial spots after the bowl (during American Dad I think, which, on a side note, was lame ). Its one of those cheesy play-along-to-a-commercial gimmicks. (I said that like its a common thing)

[Rafael Apocalypse @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Cool, very cool...

That's a new way to commnunicate, with sms messages, walkin' by some streets here in Brazil, every where you look you see someone typping a sms.

I hope that this cool propaganda gets here too!!

[Andrea @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

In Canada, the Doritos ad tells consumers upfront that INNW means 'if not now, when?'. Maybe cause the marketers think the cold slows down the brains of Canadian, and we won't be able to tell our American friends...

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Maybe they think all Canadians are so upset about hockey they're just gonna hang themselves anyways. Hence, the "if not now, when?" You know, since you don't have much time left.

[Resist @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

I thought the commercial said it was:
In and Win -> in 'N w(in)

[Barrett @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

"if not now, when?"

[Threanor @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

I like cul stuff. Maybe because i'm french and cul translate to ass. Trop cool, n'est-il pas !

[Nicholas Paredes @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Can you say: "opt in?"

[sherwin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Stupidest campaign ever. I went to that website and it doesn't make any sense at all. It's so pathetic when these marketers try to be "hip" and "youthful" and fail miserably. USING ABBREVIATIONS IN TEXT MSG STYLE NORMALLY DOESNT MAKE ME WANT TO BUY YOUR CHIPS!!

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

Doritos taste like salty ass anyway, and splinter into shards that make my mouth hurt.

[A. Anton @ Dec 19th 2005 2:42AM]

There's another ad near 9th Av and 41nd St in Manhattan; it's positioned to face the Lincoln Tunnel entrace towards New Jersey.