PepsiCo’s Lay’s is launching an innovative promo campaign in Argentina. The campaign uses specific vending machines that ‘make’ the potato chips before consumers’ eyes after a real potato is dropped into the machine’s slot. 

The Lay’s machine, which will soon debut in a Buenos Aires supermarket, features a complex system of tubes, flames and boiling water as the potato is seen going through six distinct steps: washing, peeling, cutting, cooking, salting and finally packaging. In the end, the consumer gets a bag of Lay’s potato chips popping out of the machine. The process, which looks incredibly real, is actually a video that appears to show the inner workings of potato chip manufacturing, says the Ad Age.

«We thought this would be a great opportunity to show customers how Lay’s are made,» said Alfredo Della Savia, brand manager for salty snacks for PepsiCo ConoSur. «There were rumors Lay’s aren’t made from real potatoes, and we’re trying to fight that, and show we have no secrets—it’s potatoes, oil and salt.»

The company has already announced that it’s products have only natural ingredients.

The campaign has been developed by BBDO Argentina, led by Nicolas Pimentel, the founder of local shop +Castro and a former BBDO’s exec. According to Mr. Pimentel, at the store, promoters will hand shoppers real potatoes with stickers inviting them to take the potato and insert it in the Lay’s machine.

The sampling promotion in different retail stores are to start in late October or early November. Currently, PepsiCo is negotiating with Walmart and Carrefour to determine where to place the Lay’s machine.

Lay’s, the leading potato-chip brand in Argentina, aims to emphasize that its chips are made entirely of real potatoes, with a little oil and salt. Packs have been redesigned to show real potatoes on the back panel. The campaign will go ahead with billboard ads explaining Lay’s potato chips contain only potatoes. A similar message appears on Lay’s delivery trucks.

The BBDO team has been working on the perfection of the vending machine for more than six months. It includes a movement sensor which allows the machine sense when a potato is dropped in, and even a small heater so the consumer gets a warm sample pack, resembling a freshly cooked potato. The machine holds about 150 packs of Lay’s.

The prototype machine costs about $40,000 to develop and Mr. Pimentel said that additional machines would cost about $20,000 to $30,000 each.