Pepsi's Doritos and Lay's - Some of Us Aren't Coming Back and That Should Worry Big Brands

During the next Super Bowl party, guests might not turn up their nose that I'm not serving the big brands. That's even though Pepsi, after losing customers through raising prices got back some by lowering them. Instead for the annual entertainment ritual there will be the generics developed by the big boxes such as Walmart. I'll put them out there on the table, without apology.

Just like AI is getting better and better so are the private labels like Great Value. I honestly can't taste the difference between Pepsi diet cola and Sam's. Recently Walmart has redesigned the look. That's a worthwhile investment since private label has surged to a $330 billion industry.

This isn't new. Way back in 2024, it was documented that there was a flight from big brands to private label. The tipping point was price in an era of inflation. 

The old-line obstacle to serving generic food items had been the socioeconomic "shame." You wouldn't dare bring in private label donuts to the office. No, you had to stop by Dunkin or, better yet, an upscale bakery. 

See, food tends to carry heavy-duty symbolism. It's mother. It's home. It's primal comfort. 

In the 2022 expose on Big Law "Servants of the Damned" we hear about how law firm Paul, Weiss served popcorn, not designer cookies, to the journalists interviewing the lawyers for another kind of expose "The Caesars Palace Coup." Was that supposed to transmit a message of disrespect?

Maybe. Or, maybe not. Weight Watchers International had been bullish on popcorn. It's an indulgence which inflicts the least caloric and artery-clogging damage. So, at the time I didn't read into that snippet of hospitality or any supposed lack of it. That was then.

By now, though, the traditional values associated with food have gone through a downright paradigm shift. 

What counts for us ordinary people and we account for a major chunk of GDP is the overall bang for the buck. How much mouth feel, taste pleasure, caloric requirement and healthy eating do we get from the generic? And which generic? The ones at Walmart, such as Great Value crunchy peanut butter, seem to deliver more than those at some dollar stores. 

Here's an analogy which should scare big brands. Because of AI, employers and clients have been able to settle for "good enough" content. They have been unwilling, with some exceptions, to pay the premium for "great" content. Soon enough the remaining safe harbors for great writing such as The Atlantic and The New Yorker may no longer have enough demand to survive as businesses. Already the era is post-literate.

Likewise, the whole aura created by the big brands could collapse. For me, Great Value is good enough. 

In coaching, I guide knowledge workers out of the old box of assumptions about the value they are convinced they should pitch to employers, customers and clients. They need to reset for what's marketable in the now and at what fee/price. Companies are lowballing the job offer? Maybe you should take it.

Earning a Good Living in 2026 Involves Mental Combat. The enemy is usually your own thinking.

Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Solid Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.