How Doritos’ Caio Correa Inspires Bold Thinking

With a career spanning more than 15 years in CPG, Doritos Sr. Marketing Director Caio Correa knows how to turn up the heat at the shelf. Since joining PepsiCo nearly 4 years ago, he’s taken on his spiciest challenge yet: keeping Doritos hot, top-of-mind, and constantly pushing the envelope. Correa came to the US from Brazil over a decade ago and has since made a name for himself. Admittedly, he wouldn’t be where he is today were it not for a couple of pieces of sage advice from a former boss and colleague. What is the most innovative thing you recently worked on? For this year’s SB campaign, we partnered with SnapChat to create first-of-its-kind technology called “Snackable Screens.” We released an exclusive track with Megan Thee Stallion called “Flamin’ Hottie” with a dance video that could only be viewed via SnapChat on a Doritos or Cheetos chip. This is just one example of how Doritos pushes the boundaries and breaks through culturally with our consumers. What new or up-and-coming innovation are you most excited about and how do you think it will change the future of marketing? New business models that connect farmers and distributors with consumers directly. They continue to scale and have also gamified the experience by allowing consumers to buy as a group (social e-commerce). This is relevant for me because I’m originally from Brazil, and sometimes I want to buy food or items I grew up with but my local stores don’t sell them. What’s one piece of work from your career you are proudest of? Our recent work to elevate the Black community through our SOLID BLACK program. We teamed up with several “Changemakers”—members of the Black community who are using innovation and boldness to drive culture and give back to their communities. Each Changemaker received $50,000 to continue driving change in their communities, and their stories were spotlighted across Doritos’ ecosystem. In total, Doritos invested more than $5 million to amplify stories of Black joy, strength, and resilience. Doritos always keeps it fresh, from new flavors to partnerships. What’s the secret sauce to getting your team to continually bring bold ideas to the table? We inspire one another, challenging each other to think big and be on the lookout for new opportunities. ... Be open to listening because even if the idea isn’t perfect, you can connect the dots and if someone on the team has the passion and it makes sense for the brand, it’s on me to create an environment for them to succeed. What’s one major setback or moment of failure you’ve had in your career and what did you learn from it? I struggled as a first-time manager. I was still focused on pleasing my boss, which prevented me from getting closer to my reports and building an inspiring vision for both brand and team. I learned my focus should have been on energizing my team by driving the agenda of what needed to be done. I must thank my former peer, Aaron Seabron, for giving me some critical advice and feedback earlier in my career. You have to hire for one thing and one thing only. What do you look for? I value different backgrounds and perspectives because I believe that richness shows up in the work. What’s something most people don’t know about you? Cooking is my love language; it’s an escape for me. In my downtime, you can find me trying out new recipes on my kids. …I also try to replicate some of the foods from my childhood but those are harder to master. Outside of marketing, what is something that inspires you? Some of the most inspiring conversations I have are with my kids. … A couple months ago, I was speaking with my oldest son about getting his license. He goes, “yes, that will be fun.” Then he turns to me and says, “I don’t think I want to learn how to drive. I will have a Tesla, so I won’t need to.” It’s inspiring to me to imagine where we are going versus where we are and have been. It’s inspiring to imagine where we are going versus where we are and have been. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? During my summer internship, I had low confidence because my English wasn’t very strong. As I got the full-time offer and decided to stay in the US , I second-guessed myself. … My boss (Brad Hiranaga) saw something bigger in me and challenged me to be as comfortable in English as I would be if I were speaking Portuguese. What is your top binge-worthy show of all time? Friends, it never gets old. What one question would you ask the marketing community and why? Are you making a difference and learning? Every year, I take time to reflect and be honest with myself about the best things I’ve accomplished and what I’ve learned. There were years I felt I did a lot but didn’t really move the needle. In other years, I did fewer things, but I learned something meaningful and left a legacy.

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How Doritos’ Caio Correa Inspires Bold Thinking

The marketing exec on energizing his team, learning as a leader and being inspired by his kids.

Matt Kerbel

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Matt Kerbel