Rapper snacks in new Doritos ad campaign

Billboard.com reported Friday that rapper Missy Elliott will appear in a new commercial for PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP)'s Frito-Lay Doritos division beginning in mid-September. According to the piece, the rapper will stop working on a new song for her upcoming album to eat some of the brand's new "Collisions" chips, where two different tasting chips reside in the same bag. As a result, the rapper decides to mix her hip-hop track with country, mimicking the pitch of the snack line.

The commercial is accompanied by a website that contains a link for fans to connect directly with Missy Elliott's website and interact with information about her new album The Countdown, set for release in December. An interview with the rapper's manager Mona Scott confirmed that the campaign, in particular the online experience, is seen "as a great way to further maximize Missy the artist and the new album" due to the provided exposure. The online campaign includes exclusive footage of the rapper, in addition to allowing consumers to create "mash-ups" (the article notes the campaign's use of the word "collision") of other tracks using the new song as the base.

Of course, the success that this campaign yields Missy Elliott and Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG)'s Atlantic Records, is that fans will already be familiar with the new album when it is released. The growth of digital downloads rests with the success of online campaigns such as this (even if it is based in a TV campaign), and adds to their accessibility (even more than the TV component offers). It is in no way a new idea, but basing it with a new product and a tried and successful music style (mash-ups) offers a new perspective and potential for music growth online, even if it hurts CD sales.