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There are certain items that should be considered requirements at any decent Super Bowl party. An adequately sized high-definition TV is obviously the top priority, but it can be safe to assume that most parties on Sunday, Feb. 5 will also feature plenty of tortilla chips, a cheesy dip, buffalo wings, and of course, beer.
That all sounds well and good, but it's that last staple item that can present a problem. Unfortunately, after the winning coach is doused in Gatorade and the confetti starts to fall, all too often, partiers who have had too much to drink end up getting behind the wheel of a car to head home. But, according to a press release from popular tortilla chip brand Tostitos, a newly designed package can alert consumers if they may be too impaired to drive.
The release explains that the limited edition "Party Safe" chip bags feature a sensor that a user can blow into. If the sensor detects alcohol on his or her breath, the bag will flash red, with a warning that reads “Don’t Drink and Drive.” If no alcohol is found, the bag will literally feature a green light, signaling that the consumer is good to go.
Unfortunately, according to a USA Today report, these alcohol-detecting chip bags won't be available in stores and serve solely as a marketing initiative. However, the press release states that Tostitos has partnered with Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Uber for a deal that can still help keep roads safe on Super Bowl Sunday while saving consumers money. According to the release, certain Tostitos packages will feature a barcode that Uber customers can use toward a $10 credit on a ride home. But act fast, Tostitos states that only the first 25,000 users to enter the last five barcode digits on eligible packages will receive the discount.
“Our goal is to remove 25,000 cars from the roads that Sunday evening,” Jennifer Saenz, Frito-Lay chief marketing officer, said in the press release. “Whether watching the big game at a friend’s house or at a local bar, a safe ride home is just a few, easy taps away. By simply entering a participating Tostitos UPC code in the Uber app, fans nationwide can receive $10 off an Uber ride.”
Cory Francer is an analyst at NAPCO Research. He formerly served as editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions.