Ruffles® and Global Icon LeBron James Empower Fans to Own Their Ridges

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone faces different obstacles in life, but it's how they respond to those challenges – their "ridges" – that truly sets them apart from the rest. Growing up in the inner-city of Akron, Ohio, LeBron James learned how to turn obstacles into opportunities, which is why Ruffles®, the Official Chip of the NBA, and the 17-time NBA All-Star, 4-time NBA Champion, and 4-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player are teaming up to introduce fans to a new era of the Own Your Ridges™ campaign.

Ruffles, a brand famous for the ridges on its chips, has been on a mission since earlier this year to inspire fans across the nation to unapologetically own what makes them unique – their "ridges." Now, Ruffles and James are deepening what it means to Own Your Ridges by inspiring America to embrace life's obstacles because each person's journey to achieving their goals is what makes them and their story unique.

"I knew right away that with Ruffles, we had an opportunity to approach this partnership and the product in a way that's never been done before. The idea of owning your ridges and embracing what makes us all different resonates with me on a lot of levels," said James. "I'm excited about the depth of the Ruffles D.N.A. campaign and being able to engage everyone with its empowering message."

James' multi-year partnership with Ruffles, which will span multiple campaign elements across retail, social media and more, kicks off with a brand-new TV campaign titled "Ruffles D.N.A." debuting on Christmas Day. Set to Kendrick Lamar's hit single, "D.N.A.," the ad features James reminiscing on his own "ridges" and showcases the real-life stories of four other individuals – from a female barber to a blind skateboarder to a single father to a former convict – who found success on the other side of life's obstacles.

"Just like the ridges that set Ruffles apart from any other chip out there, our personal ridges are what make us unique," said Stacy Taffet, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "Own Your Ridges is all about embracing the challenges that have shaped who we are today, and we're excited to bring this mission to life in a whole new way with LeBron James as the face of the campaign because he's the perfect embodiment of someone who overcame his challenges in life to become one of the most successful athletes in history. We hope this campaign inspires others to celebrate the things in life that make them who they are – no matter how difficult those experiences might be."

To further empower underserved communities to own their ridges, Ruffles and the PepsiCo Foundation are partnering with the LeBron James Family Foundation to uplift communities specifically through education, job training, and other wraparound support.

"LeBron is fully committed to social change and making a positive impact on communities," said Taffet. "With this partnership, we look forward to the collective impact we can make in communities together.  Just like LeBron is more than an athlete, Ruffles is on a journey to become more than a chip starting with our Ruffles D.N.A. campaign."

In 2022, Ruffles and James will continue their mission to inspire fans everywhere to own their ridges. Be sure to keep an eye on OwnYourRidges.com and follow Ruffles on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for more information throughout the rest of the NBA's 75^th season leading up to All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and beyond. To watch the full "Ruffles D.N.A." commercial, fans can head over now to Ruffles' YouTube channel.

About Ruffles
Ruffles is one of many Frito-Lay North America brands – the $17 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America