Rick Astley and Frito-Lay spin a new tune for the new year, interview

While Rick Astley might sing “Never Gonna Give You Up,” those lyrics can be more than just a romantic sentiment. Continuing his partnership with Frito-Lay, the pair encourages people to make a new resolution. Life shouldn’t be about giving up; it is about finding a balanced compromise.

As part of the Frito-Lay’s “New Year New You” campaign, the iconic Astley song returns with a new twist. In addition to being the soundtrack for resolving to keep balanced snacking as part of their routine, the pair is presenting a RickTok challenge on TikTok. That un-resolution will have many people rolling into the new year.

According to Ciara Dilley, Frito-Lay vice president of marketing, “Inspiring joy is at the core of what Frito-Lay does and, in 2022, we’re flipping the script on new year’s resolutions by encouraging people to approach the upcoming year with a positive mindset and focus on not giving up the things they love.” That concept of ditching the negative connotations might be the best food resolution.

As part of this new Frito-Lay campaign, FoodSided spoke with Rick Astley.

During that conversation Rick Astley spoke candidly about his feelings on snacks. Specifically, he feels that “sometimes snacks get a bad name.” While he believes that “we should be thoughtful about what we eat,” it is more than just a do and don’t list. Although he understands that “some people can eat anything that they want,” he has had to adjust his eating habits over the years.

Astley appreciates that balance is key and specifically, he said that he believes “there’s a mental side to it.” Specifically sharing, “I think sometimes when you deprive yourself of anything or you force yourself to do something, then it starts to be negative. And, I think the negativity of it far outweighs anything that could be good or bad about eating.”

While that balanced mentality is something that many people can appreciate, Astley admitted that sometimes having a little something to snack on “can make the day a little easier.” Whether it is a cup of tea and some crisps/chips, he believes that there are far worst things to worry about than enjoying a few snacks.

For Astley, he understands that he has the ability to enjoy that snack or beverage and be done versus over indulging to the extreme. But, he does encourage people to remove negative connotation from the food conversation.

Specifically, Astley said, “I think the negativity that thinking puts into your body is far worse than what you’re actually eating sometimes.” That mindset captures the heart of this collaboration. It is time to resolve to push the negative off the shelf. With so many snack choices, deprivation should never be on the table.

So what does Astley choose as his go-to snack? He shared that he prefers the Original Baked Lays, while his daughter prefers cheesy options like Cheetos. Luckily, Frito-Lay has a plethora of snacks that will satisfy any craving so that no one has to give up their favorite snacks.