• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, March 6, 2007

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay and Diageo, two of the world's largest companies, are leveraging the American dream of homeownership in separate campaigns designed to show consumers they care about them, their homes and communities.

Frito-Lay has joined the nationally syndicated "Home Team," a weekly TV series that takes a look at people realizing their dream of becoming first-time homeowners. As of yesterday, Lays.com is featuring "moments of joy" from past and upcoming episodes of the series, now in its third season and hosted by "Apprentice" star Troy McClain. Besides receiving financial help, new homeowners on "Home Team" get a $2,000 check hidden in a basket of Frito-Lay goods.

The partnership is part of the brand's larger strategy and new communication around "sharing moments of joy," the company said in a news release. A spokesperson said the company will expand on that strategy and other partnerships next week.

Lay's said it has launched a new national TV campaign around this theme, and the theme will continue to be seen in store activation, event marketing and brand partnerships with select organizations dedicated to "bringing joy to others."

Over at Diageo, the maker of seven premium brand spirits is donating $250,000 to the National Council of La Raza, the country's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, to make the dream of homeownership a reality for Latinos. Latin journalist and TV personality Cristina Saralegui is part of the campaign, "Estamos Unidos con un Proposito" (United With a Purpose), now in its second year.

Maribel Viteri, multicultural marketing manager for Diageo, said, "It is important to show how we want to give back to these communities that we operate in." The program works like this: Consumers can get a commemorative key at a point of sale, on the Web site or by calling a toll-free phone number and then can access free information on the Web site such as seminars and attend free counseling sessions on home buying that are held in eight cities across the nation.

To promote the effort, Diageo is using a mix of TV, print and public relations in Hispanic publications such as People en Espanol and Ocean Drive as well as targeting Latinos who speak English.