Written by Jacob Van Gundy | issued
Doritos made history with its zero-gravity ad, the first commercial filmed in space. A civilian crew of SpaceX astronauts filmed a commercial during the Polaris Dawn mission, which was groundbreaking in more ways than just an advertising shoot. Making this commercial a success required Frito-Lay to create a special chip for astronauts to enjoy while orbiting Earth.
The charities supported by Doritos’ zero-gravity ads were chosen by the astronauts themselves, along with Frito-Lay, who used the stunt as a fundraising opportunity and made large donations themselves.
Despite its historical nature, Doritos’ Zero Gram ad is short and to the point. The 15-second commercial depicts four astronauts crunching chips while floating with snacks. As the astronauts enjoy a snack, a voiceover explains that the chips were launched into space as part of a charity program with St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
The charities supported by Doritos’ zero-gravity ads were chosen by the astronauts themselves, along with Frito-Lay, who used the stunt as a fundraising opportunity and made large donations themselves. Frito-Lay held a giveaway where those who donated enough could enter a drawing for space chips. Those who donated $200 could receive the same type of chip that would send them into space, and those who donated $1,000 could earn a chip that would send them to space and back.
Doritos in the Zero Gravity ad had to be custom-made to be safe for consumption in space. Because chips are usually too messy to consume in space. Bread crumbs are a big hazard in space, where they can be inhaled or seen by astronauts, not to mention the damage they can cause if they get into equipment. To avoid the crumb problem, Frito-Lay made its chips bite-sized and used flavored oil baked into the chips instead of its signature flavor powder.
The filming of Doritos’ zero-gravity ad occurred as the Polaris Dawn team was preparing for another historic moment: the first private spacewalk.
Packaging was also a challenge for the Doritos Zero Gram ad, requiring special care to ensure the chips were not destroyed during launch. The chips were placed in special metal cans and individually packaged within the can. SpaceX astronaut Anna Menon said the packaging went well and the chip survived the space trip undamaged.
Among Polaris Dawn Mission’s many firsts, Doritos’ Zero G ad is one of the lightest.
The filming of Doritos’ zero-gravity ad occurred as the Polaris Dawn team was preparing for another historic moment: the first private spacewalk. While the crew was filming the commercial, they were conducting a process called “pre-breathing,” which lowers the cabin pressure in preparation for an extravehicular activity. While eating along the way, the astronauts enjoyed potato chips and filmed a Frito-Lay ad.
The Polaris Dawn mission received more attention than other space missions because of its many historic firsts. In addition to the extravehicular activity, the mission also included the first civilian crew field tests of spacesuits and radiation shields. Its success has been hailed as a future victory for private space exploration.
Among Polaris Dawn Mission’s many firsts, Doritos’ Zero G ad is one of the lightest. This mission was an important step in proving that private space travel with a private crew capable of performing important experiments is possible. The campaign was also an experiment in designing meals for astronauts.
