Taco Bell’s Marketing Strategy, 6 Examples of When it Outperformed
When it comes to marketing, Taco Bell isn’t thinking about how to create the best-looking Instagram post. It realizes to really capture someone’s attention or a million someones you need to ignore the ordinary and go for the extraordinary. Over the years the popular taco chain has done just that. From creating a Taco Bell Hotel to letting fans get married at Taco Bell locations it knows how to create excitement and attention in a way that’s hard to forget. If you are looking for a boost of creativity then consider these six marketing stunts Taco Bell has used to get everyone talking.
1. The Taco Bell Hotel. In 2019 Taco Bell took over the 70 room V Palm Springs Hotel in California to provide Taco Bell lovers with an experience they wouldn’t forget. First, the fast-food chain invited people to book a room at the hotel which it dubbed “The Bell: A Taco Hotel & Resort.” Rooms ranged in price from $169 to $299 and once they were available within two minutes all of the rooms were booked.
The lucky guests were then treated to a bonanza. “We had salons where women got Taco Bell icons on their nails. Men and women could get icons shaved into their heads. There were Aqua Lily synchronized swimmers in the pool and a training camp for synchronized swimmers in the main pool. Every morning there was hot yoga classes. We curated an amazing experience for our fans,” said Taco Bell’s former senior director of retail engagement and experience Jennifer Arnoldt.
Guests were also treated to food items Taco Bell was testing at the time including jalapeño popcorn chicken. The event took place from August 8th to August 12th, 2019. When it was all said and done there were 400 guests and the campaign generated 4.4 billion impressions online, which was the highest number of impressions the brand has ever had for a product launch at that time. “When you think about Taco Bell, we’re all about the social nature of the brand. We found a way to bring fans together and provide experiences for them they couldn’t get anywhere else. The idea of a Taco Bell hotel made perfect sense,” said Arnoldt. Nothing great is created overnight, Taco Bell worked on the initiative for two years.
2. Tacos for everyone. In 2012 flyers were left all over Bethel, a rural town in Alaska, claiming a Taco Bell was opening in the area. With the nearest Taco Bell 400 miles away residents were excited about being able to get their daily taco fix. But it was all a hoax organized by some pranksters. Taco Bell heard about the hoax and seized the opportunity to create a marketing stunt. Called Operation Alaska, Taco Bell chartered a helicopter which suspended a large truck filled with enough ingredients to make 10,000 Doritos Locos Tacos. Taco Bell’s CEO at the time Greg Creed said that “if we can feed people in Afghanistan and Iraq, we can feed people in Bethel.”
Once the truck arrived, Taco Bell served up tacos to residents of Bethel for free.
3. A Taco Bell Airbnb. In 2016 for Taco Bell’s launch of its Steak Doubledilla it ran a “SteakCation” promotion. For the promotion it created a contest where a lucky guest and three of their friends could stay at a Taco Bell for a night. The Taco Bell which is located in Chatham, Ontario was transformed to look like a college dorm room complete with bunk beds and video games.
To collect entries for the promotion Taco Bell created an Airbnb listing which said, “why take a Staycation when you can take a SteakCation? Our Taco Bell location in Chatham, Ontario will be outfitted with two sets of bunk beds, some comfy chairs, and a big screen TV. Not only will you dine on Steak Doubledillas — with twice the tender, marinated steak and creamy jalapeño sauce in a cheesy quesadilla — we’ll also have video games, movies, and lots of other stuff to keep you entertained. Plus, our Taco Bell Butler will be there to make sure you’ve got everything you need.” The SteakCation lasted one night and one night only but it generated a lot of buzz.
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4. Fast fashion collaboration. In 2017 Taco Bell surprised customers when it had its first fashion collaboration with Forever 21. The line featured “original, affordable, creative, a little quirky and definitely fun" merchandise including hoodies, body suits, and sweatshirts.. The items for sale were priced between $7.90 and $29.90 and could be found in Forever 21 stores and online.
By the end of the first day the merch was available it sold out. “We often think of Taco Bell as 'the fast fashion of food,' given how we continuously introduce innovative limited edition products that everyone can enjoy, so when it came to our first-ever retail collaboration, we knew our partner had to be the leader in actual fast fashion," said Marisa Thalberg, Taco Bell’s former chief marketing officer.
5. Let’s get married at Taco Bell. Are you getting married? If you are consider getting married at a Taco Bell location. It may not be the venue you have been dreaming of but to ardent Taco Bell fans it was just what they were looking for when the restaurant started letting people get married at select Taco Bell locations in 2017.
Just this past year a lot of media attention was created when a couple held their wedding reception at what is considered Taco Bell’s most beautiful restaurant which is located in Pacifica California. The space cost newlyweds Analicia Garcia and Kyle Howser, $4,000 to rent for four hours and guests were treated to unlimited food from Taco Bell’s menu as well as non-alcoholic beverages. “When we got there, we were totally blown away,” said Garcia. “They had balloons for us, they had all the food on trays, and they were bringing out whatever we wanted and as much food as we wanted … It absolutely blew my mind. It was better than I could have expected.” One Taco Bell location in Las Vegas hosts more than 200 weddings each year.
"The idea of enabling some of our most fervent and creative fans to express their love (for each other and tacos) with a Taco Bell wedding was certainly our idea of matrimonial bliss. However, the desire we have witnessed this year [in 2018] for Taco Bell weddings has exceeded all our expectations," said Thalberg. One couple flew all the way from China to get married at a Taco Bell in Las Vegas.
6. Lil Nas X as Chief Impact Officer. Last year Taco Bell appointed Lil Nas X as its first ever chief impact officer, an honourary title. For Lil Nas X life has come full circle since the widely popular rapper and singer first worked at Taco Bell five years ago. Lil Nas X’s appointment also coincided with the release of his hit album Montero. As part of the role Lil Nas X agreed to provide "exclusive experiences" and he also appeared in a Taco Bell ad for its new breakfast menu.
"Taco Bell has a really special place in my heart – ever since I worked there, I've always been amazed at how they look out for their team members and fans," says Lil Nas X. "I know there's a lot of young people like me out there who are taking non-traditional paths to follow their dreams, so I'm super excited to play a part in making sure more of them know Taco Bell has their back when it comes to achieving those goals."
“This unique partnership will deliver on more than just marketing, allowing us to tap into the genius of Lil Nas X to inspire our team members and align with our commitment to unlocking opportunities for young people,” says Mark King CEO of Taco Bell. Jennifer Frommer, SVP of brand partnerships & creative content at Columbia Records added that: “Lil Nas X is one of the most important voices of this generation.” “His expertise in understanding social media and youth culture alongside his skills in creating great music makes this partnership with Taco Bell exciting, brave and one of the most innovative campaigns I’ve had the pleasure of creating.”