Source: Muse by Clios
Source: Chris Bellinger
Cheetos is bringing back its Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle flavor with a campaign that fully leans into chaos. Created by GUT Miami and directed by Dave Meyers, the centerpiece is a music video starring Megan Thee Stallion and Nickelback, reimagining the band’s hit “How You Remind Me” in gloriously absurd fashion.
The spot kicks off with Megan running out of her favorite snack on set and demanding her “pickle back,” which a confused PA mishears as “Nickelback.” Moments later, the band appears—fully aware of how ridiculous the situation is—and dives headfirst into the bit, with rewritten lyrics that turn angsty rock into Flamin’ Hot fandom.
From there, things escalate quickly. Megan plots a heist to break into Cheetos HQ and reclaim a vault of Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle, while Chad Kroeger soundtracks the action hanging off a moving truck. It all culminates in an explosion of red dust, citywide mayhem, and a tongue-in-cheek promise from Cheetos to bring the flavor back for good.
PepsiCo Foods U.S. CCO Chris Bellinger, shared on LinkedIn today “There are some ideas when you hear them you immediately think “Hell yes! I’m in! It’ll never happen, but holy crap I hope it does!” This is one of those.
Megan Thee Stallion x Nickelback (yes Nickelback) x Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle x #Cheetos x Dave Meyers = the insane combo you never saw coming.
You are going to want to watch the whole thing. Trust me. This is a reminder we are supposed to have fun with what we do in this industry.
The team launched Flamin’ Hot Dill pickle last year based on social listening with Cheetos fans, seeing the trending conversation around pickle, tapping into the cult of Flamin’ Hot and it was an INSTANT hit. It sold out across the country in record time and was supposed to be a limited time only flavor. In and out and done.
Massive credit to the teams and believed in the power of the pickle! so many more in the comments.
Rachel Ferdinando Hernán Tantardini, Tina Mahal, Jenni Welsh, Melissa Cappabianca, Ishita Helm, Lindsey Smith, Kayla Duffy, Cassandra Myers, Carson Bursey, Amanda Rodriguez, Elizabeth (Elly) Hayn, Ally Willoughby Smith, Jeesung Kim , Adrian Walker, GUT, Dave Meyers, RadicalMedia, D3 @ PepsiCo Foods US, Emma Quigley, Jim Bouvet Brodie Dunn, Alexandera Ralston, Jenny Allenbaugh, Jeanette Zimmer, Alegra A., Debbie Luttrell, Debbie Ludwig Amanda Paluzi Corral Anselmo Ramos Juan Javier Peña Plaza Ricardo Casal Sandra Alfaro Justin Enderstein Rafael de Miranda Ryan Matiyow Chase Rodriguez Shane Cappelle PepsiCo Katheryn Batista @co3 @autonomy Marisa Price Teeter
Credits:
MEDIA AGENCY: OMD USA
● Joey-lyn Addesa Adesa – Client Lead, PepsiCo US
● Katelyn Muchowski – Executive Director, Media Planning & Strategy
● Matthew Hodges – Senior Director, Media Planning & Strategy
● Melissa Siegal Pincus – Director, Media Planning & Strategy
● Lauren Guliasi – Associate Director, Media Planning & Strategy
● Ellie Sharpe – Manager, Media Planning & Strategy
● Jane Alexander – Senior Director, Investment
● Elias Haymandos – Associate Director, Investment
● Hannah Brizzee – Manager, Investment
● Matthew Brent Schutz – Senior Director, Content Collective
● Carly Grose – Associate Director, Content Collective
PR AGENCY: Omnicom PR Group NL
● Alexa (Mechanic) Mazel – Vice President, Group Manager
● Taylor Arnold – Managing Account Supervisor
● Tanner Langford, M.A. – Account Executive
● @Erica Saviano – Senior Vice President, Earned Media
● Irene Rogers – Vice President, Group Manager, Earned Media
PRODUCTION
Production Co. Radical Media
● Dave Meyers – Director
● Scott Cunningham – DoP
● Peter Bunstein – Line Producer
● Jim Bouvet – Executive Producer
Edit: PS260
● Emile Doucette, Editor
● Zeke Bowman, Executive Producer/Partner
● Zarina Mak, Managing Partner
● Ingrid Nunn – Senior Producer
● JT Tsuchiya – Assistant Editor
Color: CO3
● Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld
● Color Producer: Wesley Lewis
Finishing: Autonomy
● James Rogers – ECD / VFX Supervisor
● Jiri Kilevnik – AI Workflow Architect / VFX SUPERVISOR
PR
● Communications Sr. Director – Melissa Cappabianca
● Communications Director – Lindsey Smith
● Communications Manager – Elly Hayn
D3 – IN-HOUSE CREATIVE AGENCY
○ Sr. Director, Social & Capabilities – Ryan Matiyow
○ Associate Social Strategy and CM Director – Carson Bursey
○ Sr. Social Strategist – Amanda Rodriguez
○ Sr. Director, Account – Molly Alesi
○ Account Director – Kayla Duffy Duffy
○ Sr. Director, D3 Studios – Chase Rodriguez Rodriguez
○ Head of Post Production – Gregory Beninger Beninger
○ Lead Animator – Shane Cappelle
○ Sr. Producer – Arturo Sheimberg Sheimberg
CONCEPT / ART DIRECTION
● Zam Taranto – Art Director / DMP
3D DEPARTMENT
● Greg Gangemi – Lighter / Look Dev
● Erik Zimmerman – FX
● Michael Lori – Tracking
2D DEPARTMENT
● Ben Smith – Comp Supe
● James Buongiorno – Lead Flame
● David Faulkner – Compostor
● James Aguilar – Compostor
● Bob Homami – Compostor
● Tara Holland – Compostor
● Ting Hsu – Compositor
PRODUCTION
● Adam Reeb – adam.reeb@byautonomy.com
● Pascal DeMaria – Coordinator
● Rachel Dorrothy – Coordinator
Sound Design: Eclipse Sound Design
● D. Chris Smith
● Jon Title
Photography
● Cassidy Meyers, Photographer
● Joel Todaro, Producer
● Thomas Patton, Lighting Director
● Colin Gerse, Digital Tech
● James Wall, Photo Assistant
● Rafael Velasco, 2nd Photo Assistant
● Kushtrim Konushevci, Main Retoucher
● Rina Veremejchik, PR Teaser Image Retoucher
AGENCY GUT
● Juan Javier Peña Plaza CCO
● Ricardo Casal – CCO
● Sandra Alfaro CEO/Managing Director
● Justin Enderstein – Executive Creative Director
● Rafael de Miranda – Creative Director
● Jose Ramirez – Creative Director
● @Bruno Ribero – Creative Director
● Waner Almeida ACD (Art Director)
● Ryan Morejon – ACD (Copywriter)
● Sergio D. Hierro – Copywriter
● Silvana Silva Jr Art Director
● Marcio Doti – Design Director
● Gabriel Guedelha – ADD
● @Tristan Stevens – Head of Brand Leadership
● Katheryn Batista – Account Director
● Laila Houser – Account Supervisor
● Felipe Oduber – Senior Account Executive
● Renata Neumann- Head of Production North America
● Rafael Sanchez – Senior Producer
● Gabriella Delgado – Junior Producer
● Quinones- Director of Business Affairs
● Emily Barnes – Head of Social, US
● Francesco Ferrara – Social Strategy Director
● Natalia Davila – Chief Strategy Officer
● Matias Lafalla Candia – Group Strategy Director
● Veronica Diaz – Junior Strategist
● Kristy Garcia – Director of Project Management
● @Marcy Marrero- Resourcing Direct”
