Key Takeaways:
- The first-ever "Lay’s Crawl" is central to the new season of "No Lay's, No Game," bringing surprise visits from legendary football players to bars and pubs worldwide.
- Lay’s Lights was also launched in select pubs to signal game time, with surprise giveaways for lucky fans.
- Through experiential marketing and strategic athlete partnerships, ordinary pub visits turn into unforgettable fan experiences, amplifying the campaign’s cultural impact.
PepsiCo snack brand Lay's and the UEFA Men's and Women's Champions League have returned for another season of "No Lay's, No Game."
Featuring Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Luis Suárez, and new brand ambassador Alexia Putellas, the campaign introduces the first-ever "Lay's Crawl," where the legendary players surprise fans in bars and pubs around the world.
The campaign was developed in partnership with advertising agency Slap Global and directed by Andrew Lane.
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A promotional video shows Putellas and Henry abruptly leaving a live interview with journalist Guillem Balagué in Barcelona to search for the perfect spot to watch a match.
This leads to the main spot, where the key question they ask at each venue is: "Do you have Lay's?"
If the answer is yes, the stars settle in to enjoy the game.
If not, they move on, leaving unlucky fans wondering what could have been.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Messi and Suárez embark on their own Lay's-fueled pub search in Miami, stunning football lovers at every stop.
In a press release, each of the athletes shared a bit about their love for the campaign.
"Luis and I had a blast dropping in on Miami fans — it's not easy for us to watch a match in a bar like 'normal fans' so it was a special day," Messi said.
"When I saw Alexia and Thierry had surprised fans in Barcelona, I thought, 'It would be so cool if we could do that in Miami, too,'" Suárez added.
The effort follows last year's viral "Lay's Chip Cam" video, where Henry and David Beckham invited lucky fans at the Champions League match to join them, but only if they had a bag of Lay's.
Experiential marketing works best when it creates unforgettable, real-world moments — Lay's turns a simple pub visit into a once-in-a-lifetime fan experience.
By teaming up with football legends, the brand amplifies its reach and credibility, proving that the right influencers can turn a campaign into a cultural event.
Ready for Lay's
To ensure that no fan has to go without Lay's, the brand is rolling out "Lay's Lights" at select pubs in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Ukraine, and South Africa.
These custom-built lights signal that the game is on and, most importantly, that Lay's is on the menu.
Lucky fans at these locations might even have their tab covered by Putellas or Henry during UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches.
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For those who can't make it to a Lay's Lights pub, the brand is launching an interactive online game, Lay's Dash.
Fans can play as Putellas, Henry, or Messi in a digital race through the city, dodging obstacles and collecting Lay's chips for a chance to win prizes.
The latest season of "No Lay's, No Game" continues through the UCL season, with more surprise appearances and exclusive giveaways leading up to the finals.
To find out more and locate the nearest Lay's Lights pub, fans can follow Lay's social channels and visit nolaysnogame.com.
