By Cierra Morgan, Intern, Press Kitchen

For Super Bowl LIX, Doritos revived its “Crash the Super Bowl” contest where fans submitted commercials for the chance to win $1 million and have their ad play live during the game. The USC student body is buzzing about two of its own—Ryan Robinson and Zach Shenouda—who came this close to making Super Bowl history. 

Their entry in Doritos’ “Crash the Super Bowl” contest, a challenge that invites filmmakers to create a hilarious and unforgettable 30-second commercial, took them from campus to the national stage.

The Story Behind “The Barbershop”

Ryan and Zach, both seniors in film and television production, brought their A-game with “The Barbershop.” Picture this: a barber with Doritos dust-covered fingers, a client in the chair, and a series of cringeworthy but hilarious mishaps. The concept was simple yet brilliant, playing perfectly into Doritos’ “Be bold” motto. Their spot earned them a spot as one of the three finalists in the competition. 

The Competition Was Real

Alongside Ryan and Zach was a commercial called “Abduction,” created by former Dublin filmmaker Dylan Bradshaw and his co-director, Nate Norell. Their ad featured a UFO on a mission for Doritos, mixing humor with sci-fi vibes. In the end, the alien invasion was a hit. Dylan and Nate’s ad ended up winning the whole thing, scoring a cool $1 million and a spot during the Super Bowl.

The Aftermath

Although Ryan and Zach didn’t take home the grand prize, the entry was definitely considered a win as making it to the top three in a national contest is a huge accomplishment as USC. For Trojans, it’s inspiring to see fellow classmates chasing their dreams and getting that kind of recognition. It just goes to show that with enough creativity (and maybe a little bit of Doritos dust), anything’s possible! 

To read more about the contest, check out this story on Marketing Dive.