Mary Carmichael Exclusive Diageo-owned Pillsbury is boosting next year's Old El Paso marketing budget from £4.5m to £7m in a bid to dissolve the barriers to Mexican food. Support will include sampling and TV and press advertising, all aiming to counteract lack of consumer awareness, as well as perceptions of complexity and spiciness. TV ads kick off on October 8. These feature the brand's bright yellow and red colours and show friends sharing a Mexican meal. A further TV burst will follow early in 2001. Quirky sombrero' designs on a yellow background will feature in national newspapers and women's magazine ads in November and December, highlighting the ease of preparation. Sampling, which is planned for supermarkets and events, will be based round an Old El Paso ranchhouse' style stand. The aim here is to familiarise consumers with different flavours. Marketing manager Ed Culf said: "We are also encouraging retailers to site the dinner kits near fresh meat and to use our branding's yellow wall' as a signpost to the Mexican foods' fixture" The ethnic foods market is buoyant overall and Pillsbury claims the Mexican foods sector is showing 18% value growth. The Old El Paso brand is market leader with around 49% value share. {{P&P }}