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\n What do Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez and Walton Goggins all have in common? It\u2019s not a red carpet premiere, but major food companies are hoping their star power will inspire Americans to snack again.\n <\/p>\n
\n Earnings from Mondel\u0113z International, PepsiCo, General Mills, J.M. Smucker, and The Campbell\u2019s Company in recent weeks have all showed sluggish sales in North America. Consumers continue to pull back spending<\/a> on name brand products, opting to either to buy cheaper store labels or not buy snacks at all.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s a difficult time because people are seeing their budgets get tighter, and as much as they enjoy snacking and snacking brands give them pleasure, it can be something to cut off their shopping lists,\u201d said Jenny Zegler, director of Mintel Food and Drink, a consumer analysis firm. \u201cSnacking is more of a fun purchase.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n So, companies are amping up the celebrity partnerships to lure eaters back.\n <\/p>\n Salty and sweet<\/p>\n \n Executives for Mondel\u0113z, which makes numerous household staples like Ritz, Oreos and Wheat Thins, said on its July 29 earnings call that \u201cconsumer anxiety\u201d and a \u201cshift to essential items\u201d hurt North American sales. The company reported a 3.5% decline in revenue.\n <\/p>\n \n A standout was Ritz, which generated $1.5 billion in sales last year. But even that brand is experiencing a \u201cslowdown\u201d in demand in recent months, according to Steven Saenen, the category president for savory snacks at Mondel\u0113z, so it\u2019s looking to modernize.\n <\/p>\n \n The 91-year-old salty cracker brand is introducing new flavors to attract Gen Z eaters, like a swicy<\/a>-infleunced hot honey, offering value packs for cost-conscious consumers, and hiring superstar Bad Bunny.\n <\/p>\n \n Saenen hopes the Bad Bunny collaboration will spark sales with the growing Latino demographic. The singer starred in Ritz\u2019s first-ever Super Bowl ad<\/a> earlier this year, and the brand recently extended the partnership by sponsoring his sold-out residency in Puerto Rico<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cHe\u2019s a true cultural icon for multicultural and Hispanic audiences,\u201d Saenen told CNN. \u201cHe\u2019s also a self-professed lover of the Ritz brand himself, so we think it\u2019s a perfect collaboration.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Another Mondel\u0113z brand, Oreo, also partnered with a multi-hyphenated Latin superstar, Selena Gomez, to create a cookie inspired by her love of horchata<\/a>, a cold, sweetened drink often made from ground rice or nuts and flavored with cinnamon.\n <\/p>\n \n This follows the model of a successful Lady Gaga collaboration in 2020 and another with singer Post Malone in 2025. Celebrity-created flavors brought in new customers and helped grow its awareness among Gen Z.\n <\/p>\n \n Partnerships have \u201cbecome even more important as consumers\u2019 purse strings tighten and they don\u2019t have a lot of disposable income to spend,\u201d Michelle Deignan, vice president of Oreo US, previously told CNN. \u201cWhat we\u2019ve seen is bringing credible partnership, like Selena, makes it worth it for consumers to part with their hard-earned cash.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n A Mondel\u0113z spokesperson said Gomez\u2019s cookie was one of its top three biggest launches for Oreo, but noted it was too early to offer specific numbers.\n <\/p>\n \n Celeb collaborations help consumers justify a pricier purchase because they offer a \u201ccrossover between one or two things that I know and I already love,\u201d said Mintel\u2019s Zegler.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cSome of these brands are trying to stay relevant to consumers and remind them of the fun and the joy and the excitement that these brands can bring,\u201d she added.\n <\/p>\n And a dash of spicy<\/p>\n \n Doritos, which recently released a new \u201cGolden Sriracha\u201d<\/a> flavor, hopes to emulate the success of \u201cCool Ranch\u201d and \u201cNacho Cheese.\u201d\n <\/p>\n![\"Selena](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/selena-with-signature-cookie-20250814122759612.jpeg\")
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![\"Walton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bts-goggins-close-up.jpg\")
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