A dust with fame
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How many of us have sat on the couch and criticized the commercials that we are constantly bombarded with? How many have said, “I could have done that better!” while not doing anything at all? I’m sure we’re all guilty of this at least once in a while – I know I am.
When Doritos and Pepsi MAX held a contest to ask consumers at the end of 2010 to come up with an original commercial to be aired at the Super Bowl, Utah native Tyler Dixon decided to act on his instincts and instead of just criticize the commercials on TV, create one of his own.
The result has made him a top ten finalist in the contest, beating out more than 5550 other entries. The commercial, titled “The Best Part,” costars a UVU student, Ryan Richardson.
Richardson, a Spanish major, is no stranger to commercials. He previously starred as a gorilla on a snowboard for a Sports Authority SNIAGRAB commercial. Of course, he was in a costume and couldn’t be recognized. In this commercial, not only is he recognizable, but it is also an unforgettable scene, as those who have seen the commercial can attest.
The commercial’s premise is simple. Everyone who has eaten Doritos chips knows what it’s like to have that “cheesy dust” residue their fingers when the bag is empty. Dixon believes that licking this dust is something of a guilty pleasure for people, though they don’t like to admit it. He claims that the dust is almost the best part of eating Doritos, and that’s where the idea for the commercial came from.
According to Dixon, in a one-hour brainstorming session, fueled by “pool, Little Caesar’s pizza and Halo Reach,” Dixon, along with his friends Tyler Marshall and Eddie King, came up with “The Best Part,” which chronicles an office worker going to extreme lengths to partake of the cheesy dust, including licking someone else’s finger and tearing off a coworker’s pants in order to catch the residue left there. Richardson has the memorable role of getting his pants ripped off.
Richardson doesn’t seem to mind, though. He’s just hoping, at the end of the day, to be able to pay off his student loans, a hope most college students can relate to.
The grand prize of the contest, besides the international recognition of getting their commercial played during the Super Bowl, is up to $2 million, depending on different stipulations set out by Doritos and Pepsi MAX. Not a bad prize, considering the commercial only took the guys $82.50 to make, with most of it going to “those great little round sandwiches with meat and cream cheese from Costco,” said Dixon.
Most of the guys involved work for a production company in Orem, Rubberball Productions and Andersen Studios, and were able to use company equipment to professionally produce their commercial. Their professional experience and equipment show in the end result. The commercial is well done and looks like it could easily be shown at the Super Bowl, which is, of course, what the guys are hoping for.
In order to be shown on TV, the commercial has to be voted in by fans. That’s where we come in. Richardson is hoping that his fellow UVU students can help out by voting for “The Best Part” at www.CrashTheSuperBowl.com or visiting www.VoteForTheBestPart.com. Visiting the second website can earn you prizes such as Skullcandy headphones, T-shirts and more. Fans can vote up to three times a day, every day, on their computers, smart phones and on Xbox Live.
The guys won’t know if their commercial has won until it is shown live on air on Feb. 6 during the Super Bowl. Voting is open from now until January 31, so start voting soon and often!
Vote for the commercial at www.CrashTheSuperbowl.com or www.VoteForTheBestPart.com