Doritos’ ‘Day of the Dead’ ad celebrating queer love and acceptance wins hearts

Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead to honor their deceased loved ones and Doritos' new ad celebrating the same is winning hearts all over. The Day of the Dead (El Dia De Los Muertos) is also a celebration of life and Doritos Mexico hit their new ad out of the park by showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community. The ad features a family visiting the grave of a loved one with gifts as is tradition, and discovers that their loved one, Uncle Alberto is gay and 'living' a happy life, reported LGBTQ Nation. Doritos is being lauded for celebrating queer love and acceptance. The reveal of the queer member comes as a twist in the ad but it's the reaction of the grandma, Uncle Alberto's sister, that really makes the ad. 

The Spanish animated ad shows the family arriving at the altar of Uncle Alberto with traditional offerings including a bowl of Doritos chips. Mexican and Latin American communities decorate altars of loved ones with bright yellow marigold flowers, photos of the departed, and their favorite foods and drinks, according to Day of the Dead. The offerings are believed to encourage visits from the land of the dead as the departed souls hear their prayers, smell their foods, and join in the celebrations.

In the video, the elderly woman leaves a bowl of chips at the altar that is decorated with marigold flowers and lit with candles. She looks longing at the image of Alberto and sighs. "Dear brother, I miss you so much." A bluish light emanates behind Alberto's image and grows, to eventually reveal the ghost of Alberto, who asks how they've been. Another ghost appears beside him and Alberto introduces him. "Mario....my partner." They hold hands. The family members gasp in shock, alluding that they weren't aware of his sexuality. As they all freeze in shock, Uncle Alberto's sister starts clapping happily. "What a miracle. I thought you'd be alone forever," says the elderly woman.  

As the woman accepts their love, the bluish light around them disappears. There is genuine warmth as the family lovingly looks on. Alberto and Mario briefly embrace. The ad ends with the message: Nunca Es Tarde Para Ser Quien Eres, which translates to: "It's never too late to be who you are." The heartwarming Doritos commercial went viral on the internet, garnering more than 38k likes on YouTube.

Doritos Mexico said they wanted to celebrate queer love. “In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of life. It’s a moment to share our respect, love, and unity for all the people we cherish, even if they are gone,” said the company. “And it’s an opportunity for Doritos Mexico to celebrate love and our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community every day. With the commercial ‘It’s never late to be who you are,’ we want to say that it’s never too late to share your true self, and when you are ready, we will support you.”

Earlier this year, Doritos had released another ad supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The ad showed a father realizing his son was gay and turning to Reddit to figure out what to do. He eventually tells his son that he loves him. “I wanted to talk to you,” the father tells his son the next morning. “I wanted to tell you that… that I love you,” he says. Javier, his son, responds, “What you wanted to tell me is that you love me as I am.” His father nods and they hug ending the beautiful ad. “We’re really proud of the accomplishments that have been achieved with Doritos Rainbow,” said Doritos Mexico marketing director Eduardo Córdoba at the time, reported LGBTQ Nation. “We believe the moment is right to show that our commitment extends beyond a proud celebration every June.”