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Following on from news that Taco Bell is looking for a UK creative agency, the US-based restaurant chain is continuing to step up its activity in the UK with a National Taco Day event today (4 October).
The "Taco IRL" campaign is in collaboration with Deutsch LA and customers will be able to exchange a digital taco emoji for a real-life taco by texting the emoji to Taco Bell’s WhatsApp account. They will then be able to get a free taco in any of the brand's 71 restaurants across the UK.
YouTube star Chunkz, who has nearly two million subscribers, will serve the first 100 customers today at Taco Bell's branch on Baker Street in London.
Spark Foundry handled media planning and buying for the event. The media agency is looking to target 16- to 34-year-olds through the campaign, which will run across paid media, digital out-of-home and social.
Liz Ragoo, managing partner at Spark Foundry, said, “Our strategy for this campaign was to integrate innovation, stand out from our competitors and elevate the brand. Our media plan taps into channels that will make young people around the UK see tacos everywhere on National Taco Day.”
OK Cool is responsible for organic social and the partnership with Chunkz. PR is by Stir.
Gino Casciani, general manager for Taco Bell UK and Europe, said: “National Taco Day is an exciting date in the diary for taco fans around the world and we wanted to celebrate the annual event by offering people across the UK the chance to try a taco for free in a fun and unique way.”
Taco Bell itself brought the taco emoji to smartphones in 2015 with a petition that garnered 33,000 signatures.
Launching internationally also, the campaign will be available in five languages and 23 markets, including Australia, Brazil, and India.
Founded in California in 1962, the Mexican-inspired restaurant chain is part of Yum!. Taco Bell expects to appoint a creative agency in the UK by the end of November, with a shortlist currently being drawn up by AAR. The brand has not yet worked with a local agency in the UK market.