Dole Food Company, Lexus, Pepsico’s Lay’s, Tequila Don Julio and Five More Brand Initiatives

• Dole Food Company

Dole Food Company is introducing the DOLE® Colada Royale™ Pineapple, an all-new variety of Ananas comosus that has been conventionally bred to be gold to green on the outside, cream-colored on the inside, and offer distinct notes of coconut and piña colada for those seeking the ultimate tropical eating experience. Dole is supporting the launch of its new taste with an integrated marketing campaign encompassing print and digital advertising, social media, a dedicated webpage, consumer and trade media PR, in-store sampling and merchandising, and an expanded presence at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show. Dole’s agencies include Haberman, which handles creative and media, and Padilla, which manages digital and social media responsibilities for the U.S. and Canada.
In the early 2000s, the fresh produce research and development team at Dole Food Company had the idea to bring something new to the pineapple category. They envisioned a new variety that offered a different flavor than their traditional pineapples—more indulgent and balanced, possibly with hints of coconut or other exotic ingredients—but was still faithful to the company’s century-plus legacy of growing all-natural fruit without GMOs.  After 15 years of work in La Ceiba, Honduras, at its oldest pineapple farm in Latin America, Dole is introducing the DOLE^® Colada Royale^™ Pineapple, an all-new variety of Ananas comosus that has been conventionally bred to be gold to green on the outside, cream-colored on the inside and offer distinct notes of coconut and piña colada for those seeking the ultimate tropical eating experience.
The DOLE^® Colada Royale^™ Pineapple officially debuts during this week’s IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show, Oct. 16-18, 2025, and arrives at supermarkets throughout North America in October. According to Bil Goldfield, Dole’s director of communications, the intent was to leverage Dole’s century of pineapple-growing experience in Hawaii and Latin America to disrupt the pineapple status quo by combining natural growing techniques with unexpected flavors to create an exceptional premium pineapple with a price that is accessible to fresh fruit fans at all income levels. Check out Dole Food’s latest campaign!

• Lexus

Lexus is along for the ride again this holiday season, inviting fans to “Experience OZmazing” in the epic and electrifying conclusion.  Lexus is partnering with Universal’s Wicked: For Good (in theaters November 21), debuting a 360-degree marketing campaign with a co-branded, 30-second custom spot featuring the 2025 Lexus LX. The custom spot headlines a 360-degree marketing campaign – set to appear in a wide range of media – including co-branded social content and sponsorship of the Wicked: For Good premiere in New York City. The 30-second spot will air on Peacock, YouTube, and Amazon throughout the promotional window, running Oct. 13 through Dec. 4, 2025.
The custom TV spot, “Magic in the Air,” features Wicked and Wicked: For Good’s acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, his wife Kristin Chu, and their daughter Stevie Sky Chu – who was born last November on the same day as Wicked’s Los Angeles premiere. As the family rides in the Lexus LX, they experience the whimsical magic found within the Emerald City. The action is set to the new movie’s emotional anthem, “For Good,” as it plays within the vehicle’s Lexus Interface multimedia system. The spot closes with the Wicked-inspired Lexus tagline, “Experience OZmazing.” “As a proud partner of Universal’s Wicked: For Good, Lexus invites fans to experience the film’s electrifying finale,” said Lisa McQueen, senior manager, Lexus marketing. “For those looking to tackle any adventure ahead, the Lexus LX is the perfect vehicle for life’s most magical moments.” Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good, arrives in theaters on Friday, November 21, 2025.

• SiriusXM 

Portada interviews Claudia Oddo, Sr. Manager, Brand & Consumer Marketing at Sirius XM. Oddo explains her approach to marketing for both SiriusXM and Pandora and provides examples of recent initiatives.

• Tequila Don Julio 

Diageo’s Tequila Don Julio continues its commitment to sharing Mexican culture with the world by celebrating Día de Muertos through a global pop-up experience: Panadería Don Julio. Building on last year’s momentum, when the brand unveiled larger-than-life Ofrendas—beautifully adorned altars—in eight cities around the world, this year, Tequila Don Julio is reimagining another cherished holiday ritual: the sharing of pan de muerto, a sweet, aromatic bread symbolizing love and remembrance. Created in collaboration with Panadería Rosetta, one of Mexico’s most acclaimed bakeries led by world-renowned chef Elena Reygadas, Panadería Don Julio will pop up across more than twelve iconic cities, showcasing the beauty and energy of Día de Muertos on a global stage. This year the activation will take place in Bogotá, Caracas, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, London, Santo Domingo, Athens, Bangalore, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Delhi. Panadería Don Julio will come to life around the world through unique iterations, each designed as a one-of-a-kind journey into the heart of Día de Muertos. While every city will offer its own interpretation, each pop-up will blend the warmth of a traditional Mexican bakery with the vibrancy of a tequila bar. Guests will step inside to enjoy Panadería Rosetta’s iconic pan de muerto during the day, and, by night, they can celebrate with specialty cocktails crafted by Mexico City’s own Handshake Speakeasy.
“This holiday is a celebration of love, legacy and tradition, values that are at the very core of Tequila Don Julio,” said Sophie Kelly, Senior Vice President of Global Tequila and Mezcal Categories at Diageo. “Through our collaboration with world-class partners like Panadería Rosetta and Handshake Speakeasy, we’re thrilled to bring this vibrant holiday to audiences around the globe once again, honoring Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and culinary artistry in a way that is both meaningful and extraordinary.” “Día de Muertos is one of Mexico’s most meaningful celebrations, where life and death meet through memory, food and ritual,” said Chef Elena Reygadas, founder of Panadería Rosetta. “Pan de muerto is a gesture of care that connects us with those who are no longer here. Collaborating with Tequila Don Julio allows us to share this living tradition with the world, honoring the richness and creativity of Mexican culture. The Panadería Don Julio pop-ups will appear around the world in collaboration with local bakeries, each location bringing Panadería Rosetta’s iconic pan de muerto to new communities. Cities include Bogotá, Caracas, Delhi, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, London, Mumbai, Santo Domingo and more. For those unable to experience Panadería Don Julio in person, Tequila Don Julio brings Día de Muertos to a global audience through a hero film on Instagram (@donjuliotequila) that celebrates both the holiday’s rich traditions and its evolution in today’s world. The film highlights the symbolism and personal stories that make Día de Muertos a celebration of love, remembrance and connection, featuring Mexican visionaries Chef Elena Reygadas and cultural ambassador Carlos Eric Lopez and inviting audiences everywhere to honor loved ones, experience the artistry of Mexico, and connect with the deeper meaning of the holiday.

For recent Portada interviews with Diageo executives, check out:
 Salvador Padron,  Global VP Marketing, at Don Julio: How Don Julio approaches the 2026 Soccer World Cup Opportunity.
 Tracy (Bussan) Doyle, SVP, Brands in Culture, Diageo North America,on the Spirits Company First FIFA Sponsorship

• Pepsico’s Lay’s

PepsiCo’s Lay’s is entering a new chapter with a commitment to quality ingredients and unmatched flavor. And it all starts in the same place — the potato field.  That sentiment was showcased on the biggest stage in the brand’s “Little Farmer” Super Bowl ad last year. Inspired by a family farm that grows Lay’s potatoes, the commercial shone a light on the real stories behind every chip. Now, Lay’s will continue to bring the journey from farm to bag to life by letting the potato itself and rich farm imagery take center stage. Lay’s works with over 100 family-owned farms across North America, and PepsiCo sources crops and ingredients — such as potatoes — from growers in more than 60 countries around the world. Many of those potato farms are just a short drive from PepsiCo’s cooking and packaging facilities, which means, during harvest season, it’s possible for farm-grown potatoes to go from farm to bag in as little as 48 hours. PepsiCo does not break down Lay’s marketing spend individually, but estimates suggest the brand spends under US $100 million in advertising. According to evidnt, Pepsi has a 38% share in the U.S. potato chip market. OMG, a division of Omincom Group manages PepsiCo’s media planning and buying.
“The new visual identity celebrates the humble, farm-grown potato — where every Lay’s potato chip starts — and heroes the ingredients that deliver the unmatched flavor consumers have always loved,” says Alexis Porter, PepsiCo’s Vice President of Marketing, Global Lay’s.
Every potato that’s grown to make Lay’s chips starts its life on a farm: sun-drenched, carefully tended to and grown with purpose. But not every potato can be a Lay’s potato.   There are more than 4,000 registered potato varieties in the world, and only 10 are good enough to become a Lay’s potato chip. Lay’s spends up to nine years creating the best potato for farmers to grow, ensuring it delivers the perfect crisp, flavor, and golden glow when sliced and cooked.
The potatoes’ journey from the soil to the shelf is the heart of Lay’s. But here’s the surprising part — 42% of people who enjoy Lay’s don’t realize they’re made with real, farm-grown potatoes.  Now, with the most significant brand redesign in Lay’s nearly 100-year history, Lay’s is here to showcase that every chip is rooted in real potatoes, real people and real joy — and bringing consumers more choices with the same unbeatable taste, by removing artificial flavors and colors in the U.S.
Lay’s is providing people with the choices they want while setting a new standard for the future of food culture — including having all core Lay’s products in the U.S. made with no artificial flavors or colors from artificial sources by the end of 2025. Plus, Lay’s white dips in early 2026.
“At Lay’s, delighting our consumers goes beyond bold flavors — it’s about delivering trusted quality from farm to bag,” says Denise Truelove, SVP of Marketing, PepsiCo Foods US. “These updates were shaped directly with our consumers, offering more choice, more transparency, and more joy with every bite. Lay’s continues to set the gold standard in snacking and we’re proud to carry that legacy forward.” Lay’s Baked and Lay’s Kettle Cooked chips are also getting an ingredient update. Lay’s Baked will be made with olive oil and have 50% less fat than regular potato chips and a new version of Lay’s Kettle Cooked Reduced Fat Original Sea Salt will be made with avocado oil and offer 40% less fat than regular potato chips — with more new options across PepsiCo’s food portfolio to come in 2026.

Learn about Portada events scheduled for 2026. Portada events are highly curated events. Their agenda is designed to maximize knowledge-sharing and networking among top brand marketers, media agencies, and media executives.
Portada Chicago, March 19, 2026
Portada Live, CDMX, Abril 16,
Portada Los Angeles, June 4
Portada Live, NYC, September 17
To learn more about thought leadership and networking solutions for the above events, please contact Marcos Baer at [email protected].

• Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines has launched a global media review, according to the company. The firm’s estimated spending on measured media last year was $150 million, according to agency research firm COMvergence.The incumbent is Omnicom’s PHD. 

• Papa Johns

Papa Johns has put its creative account in review. The move marks a significant development for Papa Johns, which has partnered with Camp + King as its creative agency since 2019.

• Ingredion

Ingredion has selected Bader Rutter as its agency of record. With 2022 annual net sales of nearly $8 billion, Ingredion turns grains, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing, and industrial markets. As a global leader in both ingredient solutions and forward-thinking global brand leadership, Ingredion represents an A-list addition to a growing roster of foodservice leaders. As agency of record, Bader Rutter will support Ingredion’s next chapter with a unified strategy, bold creative, and smart media designed to perform across markets and connect more deeply with customers and consumers alike. This partnership represents a meaningful opportunity to shape what’s next in global B2B and food and beverage marketing. And we are so ready. This win marks an important expansion of Bader Rutter’s growing food and beverage practice. Bader and Rutter has offices in Milwaukee and Chicago.

• Rexona

Manchester City announced an extension of its long-term global partnership with Unilever brand, Rexona. The extension will see Rexona, also known as Sure, Degree, Shield and Rexena across the world, continue as a partner of both the men’s and women’s teams, and will mark almost a decade of partnership. Since joining as a partner of the men’s team in 2018 and renewing in 2020 to include the women’s team, the latest agreement signifies the ongoing commitment of Rexona as a global partner through to the end of the 2026/27 season. Throughout the partnership to date, Manchester City and Rexona have worked closely together to create authentic and meaningful campaigns, celebrating key moments including the Club’s historic fourth Premier League title in a row, as well as supporting players during international tournaments, including the recent UEFA Women’s Euros 2025 and CONMEBOL Copa América. Benjamin Curtis, Global Brand Vice President for Rexona, said: “Manchester City represents the highest standards of performance and consistency, qualities that reflect everything Rexona stands for”.