Is Doritos' UGC Super Bowl ad the future of advertising?

For its 25th Super Bowl appearance, Doritos took a different approach—by not actually making any ads.

Not themselves, anyway.

Instead, the brand has revived their Crash the Super Bowl contest, challenging fans to do the heavy lifting and create their own 30-second spots.

After more than 2,000 submissions and a public vote, one lucky team has officially won $1 million.

Oh – and of course - ultimate bragging rights - with their commercial airing during the biggest advertising event of the year.

So, is fan-generated content making a comeback? And if so, what does this mean for the future of Super Bowl ads—and advertising in general?

Crash the Super Bowl originally ran from 2006 to 2016.

It delivered some of the most memorable Super Bowl ads and even launching the careers of filmmakers.

By reviving it now, Doritos is crowdsourcing content while tapping into collective memory from a time before streaming services made Super Bowl ads an optional viewing experience.

“Today, user-generated and creator-generated content is like table stakes,” James Wade, Senior Director of Marketing for Doritos, told Marketing Brew.

“The tools are more accessible, that way of operating is more acceptable and expected, let’s see what people of this generation can do.”

User-generated content (UGC) isn’t new. But we’re living in an era where creators have more influence than ever.

TikTok has turned regular people into viral marketing machines. And brands are realising that sometimes the best (and most authentic) ads don’t come from an agency—they come from the audience itself.

Doritos’ move fits into this shift. Why hire a big-name director when you can tap into a pool of thousands of creatives eager to prove themselves?

Especially when you consider cost vs. impact.

A $1 million prize for the winning entry sounds hefty.

But, compared to what brands usually spend on Super Bowl ads, it’s practically a bargain. Many big-budget commercials cost well over $5 million before the $7 million price tag for the airtime.

Instead of shelling out for an A-list celebrity endorsement, Doritos is betting on organic engagement.

And it worked. The contest alone generated thousands of submissions, weeks of voting, and tons of press—all before the winning ad even aired.

So, is this the future of Super Bowl ads?

Could we see more brands going this route? It’s possible.

Crowdsourcing ads taps into the participatory nature of modern media while also lowering costs.

However, the key is execution—fan-generated content needs to feel high-quality, not like a low-effort gimmick.

Doritos has always positioned itself as a fun, unpredictable brand. And bringing back Crash the Super Bowl fits perfectly into that identity.

But whether this signals a larger trend or is just a nostalgic one-off remains to be seen.

Either way, if brands keep handing the creative reins to their audiences, the ad industry might have to rethink who’s really calling the shots.

If the internet has taught us anything, it’s that people love to be part of something bigger.

And when there’s a million-dollar cheque involved? Even better.

-Sophie, Writer