Eschewing actors and celebrities, Taco Bell is recruiting the help of its rewards members for a community-driven Super Bowl advertisement campaign which will appear during the event’s third quarter on February 9.
For the next two weeks, the chain will leverage its community to host select drive-thru experiences in California, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida. At these locations, diners can take “photobooth” photos at the Live Más Drive-Thru Cam after checking out and opt-in for a chance to appear in the commercial. Customers are asked to “embrace what it means to ‘Live Más’ when posing, then cameras will take six photos of the driver and passenger sides of the car. After, digital photo strips are sent by email.
“Every day in our drive-thrus we see moments that are so uniquely ‘our fans’ – the moments, the memories, and the energy that makes Taco Bell who we are,” said Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery in a statement. “That’s why, for our return to football’s biggest stage, we’re sidelining the celebrities and turning the camera on the fans who already make Taco Bell what it is. We’re inviting Taco Bell Rewards members to come through and do you.”
Taco Bell is returning to the NFL’s Super Bowl after a three-year hiatus, confirmed Axios. The latest initiative is a divergence from its 2022 advertisement which featured musician Doja Cat.
Last year, brands received pushback from fans tired of frequent celebrity features, reported Marketing Dive.
“The Super Bowl this year was the Kitchen Sink Bowl,” said Jason Harris, president and CEO of agency Mekanism, in a conversation about the 2024 football event. “Advertisers tried too hard. Instead of one celebrity, they put in five or six. Instead of one clear joke, they aimed for several. It was overly complex and hard to even remember the brand for many of them.”
Taco Bell’s latest marketing tactic could be an effort to metabolize the pushback and meaningfully connect with its community while showcasing its personable and accessible brand values. Nevertheless, the brand still eagerly engages with celebrities for its campaigns. In September, it partnered with Mexican-American musician Omar Apollo on a family-inspired hot sauce recipe.
The QSR is known for its community engagement activities, having partnered with emerging chefs in October to develop fusion recipes for its flagship Crunchwrap Supreme. in June, it also hosted a Taco Tuesday event with local Los Angeles food vendors to support the city’s unique food culture.
The Food Institute Podcast
Is it possible to balance a legacy brand and innovative ideas for a food company? Bibie Wu, chief communications and technical development officer with Del Monte, shares how her company respects its past while looking to the future, and how her dual roles in marketing and product development inform each other and improve the company.
