This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tyler Dixon would really like to be the New England Patriots of Doritos Super Bowl commercials.
Like the Patriots, the former Utahn lost in his first two appearances at the biggest football game of the year. He'd like to win his third, as the Patriots did.
For the third year in a row, Dixon is a Top 5 finalist in the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest. If he wins the online voting, this year he'll take home both the $1 million prize and the opportunity to work with director Michael Bay on the next "Transformers" movie.
"I'm hoping the third time's the charm," Dixon said. "I've been so close to a million dollars over the past two years — I've been in the same room with people who've won it. You just can't get that close and give up.
"For an aspiring filmmaker like myself, it's a dream just to get on a real set, let alone to be able to work with the absolute biggest name in Hollywood on one of the biggest movies in Hollywood," Dixon said.
The Brigham Young University graduate and former Lehi resident said he's learned plenty from being oh-so-close to winning over the past two years. His 2013 Doritos commercial, "Road Chip," features both a cute little girl and a sort-of cute little dog.
"You have to appeal to kind of a broad cross-section of the population," Dixon said. "I'm trying to make something that has kind of a more general appeal to it and appeals to everybody."
In "Road Chip," a little girl (Shayna Jackson) and her dog (Yoda) are in the back seat of a car. The dog keeps stealing the girl's Doritos — until she pretends to throw one out the window, and the dog goes after it.
No dogs were hurt in the production of the commercial, and Dixon ends the spot with the uninjured canine trotting behind the car. "We don't want to give the impression that the dog was hurt," he said.
Dixon and girlfriend Heather Kasprzak — whom he met two years ago when she was also a finalist in the Doritos contest — brainstormed the idea and put the spot together. He's hoping that this year will be the boost he needs to be able to quit his job as a door-to-door salesman.
"I'm still trying to break in as a writer and a director, but every year I'm getting closer and closer to becoming a full-time filmmaker," he said. "And I really think this is the year. Being able to work with Michael Bay and win that million dollars would put me over the edge."
At the very least, Dixon will have what for most of us would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience —for the third year in a row.
"I get to go sit in the owner's box at the Super Bowl," he said. "Michael Bay is going to be there this year — that's going to be awesome. And I've never been to New Orleans. I can't wait."
Vote in the 'Crash the Super Bowl' contest
O Voting is open through Tuesday, Jan. 29, at apps.facebook.com/crashthesuperbowl. You can vote twice a day — once on your computer and once on your phone. Learn more about Tyler Dixon's commercial and connect to the voting at doritosroadchip.com.