The particular haircut that soccer player Ronaldo Nazário wore during the 2002 World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan, was the subject of international conversation and became one of the most iconic moments in soccer culture. So much so that, ahead of the celebration of a new edition of the tournament, Doritos has made it the protagonist of its new advertising campaign in Brazil
With the help of the AlmapBBDO agency, the snack brand has launched “Teoria do Triângulo” (The theory of the triangle), in which it speculates that that famous hairstyle was, in reality, part of a campaign with the PepsiCo logo. He argues this in a twelve-minute mockumentary in which Doritos relates the shape of his snack to Ronaldo’s particular bangs.
The campaign is based on the construction of a narrative that has had the social network Reddit as a starting point. One profile published a series of documents that he had supposedly acquired at an auction, which linked the haircut to Doritos. The publication began to generate conversation about the origin of the look, adding users to the speculation.
The conversation and interaction was enhanced with the collaboration of influencers and content creators, who have echoed the “Triangle Theory” and have invited their followers to comment on it and develop their own interpretations of the case. Thus, the topic has transcended to other social networks, generating conversation in the country and reinforcing the link between Doritos and soccer. as part of its role as official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, both for the men’s competition in 2026 and the women’s competition in 2027.
Doritos has revealed the mystery with the launch of a mockumentary, which has been worked on together with the production company The Youth & Co, the animation studio Black Madre and the sound production company Satelite Audio, and which has been published on the YouTube channel of the TNT Sports television network.
In the satirical piece, different profiles share their theories about the particular haircut, and even Ronaldo’s own version is presented. With this, the brand reinforces the triangle as its most characteristic visual element and consolidates Doritos as a protagonist in moments of conversation and entertainment.
The strategy includes the participation of dozens of influencers and content creators, who will be responsible for expanding the “Triangle Theory” over the coming weeks. Ronaldo himself has shared the mockumentary on his social networks with a brief introduction in which he alludes to the conversation generated around the theory. The campaign will also have a presence on digital platforms such as Meta, YouTube and TikTok, as well as insertions on television and outdoor advertising in São Paulo.
