By Robin Tucker, The Newish Gen
To promote its new breakfast menu, Taco Bell has launched a new campaign called the 'Breakfast Defectors.' Taco Bell started its campaign with a short video set in a dystopian society. The campaign is targeted to millennials and appears to be inspired by the popular series, The Hunger Games.
To promote its new breakfast menu, Taco Bell has launched a new campaign called the 'Breakfast Defectors.' Taco Bell started its campaign with a short video set in a dystopian society. The campaign is targeted to millennials and appears to be inspired by the popular series, The Hunger Games.
The new campaign includes a dystopian-like short story, commercials featuring customers who prefer Taco Bell breakfast, and propaganda inspired posters. Taco Bell launched its new-breakfast menu last March. which included a campaign that showed more than 20 real-life Ronald McDonalds professing their love for Taco Bell's breakfast. The new ‘Breakfast Defector’s’ campaign, like the old campaign, includes subtle McDonald’s references.
Who Are These Breakfast Defectors?
So who are Breakfast Defectors and how is it relevant to Taco Bell? Breakfast Defectors are people who are against boring-routine breakfast sandwiches. In the short video, Taco Bell shows two young adults ready to break free from their routines. The commercial is set in a dystopian society, with a dictator who looks like a darker version of Ronald McDonald. At the end of the video, the defectors break free and find others who have escaped. They follow the sound of a bell to get to the other defectors.
Chris Brandt, Taco Bell's chief marketing officer, told Advertising Age the idea behind the campaign was to highlight how "there was a sea of sameness" in fast-food breakfast. "It's the most routinized time of day, and it's hard to get people out of being on autopilot. We're pushing against that routine… we don't want to look like everyone else."
The Breakfast Defectors campaign also includes a social media aspect. There is a Breakfast Defector Twitter handle, as well as a hash tag. The website, www.breakfastdefectors.com, encourages communication on social media with “missions.” For example, this weeks mission is to caption a specific image from their website and share it on Instagram or Twitter using #breakfastdefectors and #promo. These missions include deadlines and prizes.
The Results of the Campaign
According to Media Post, Taco Bell reported that breakfast has gone from virtually zero to generating 6% of its U.S. business. McDonald's, which had an estimated 31% share of out-of-home breakfast a year ago, now reportedly has about a 25% share.
In a recent article by Food Business News, Greg Creed, chief executive officer of Yum! Brands and former C.E.O. of Taco Bell Corp., said, “Technology is playing a huge part in the perception of Taco Bell as sort of “the millennial brand.”
Taco Bell seems to be on the right track with its new campaign. Only time will tell if the Breakfast Defectors are actually successful. If Taco Bell sales continue the way they are, maybe one day Taco Bell will beat McDonalds in the breakfast category.
Check out the Taco Bell Breakfast Short Film below:
Who Are These Breakfast Defectors?
So who are Breakfast Defectors and how is it relevant to Taco Bell? Breakfast Defectors are people who are against boring-routine breakfast sandwiches. In the short video, Taco Bell shows two young adults ready to break free from their routines. The commercial is set in a dystopian society, with a dictator who looks like a darker version of Ronald McDonald. At the end of the video, the defectors break free and find others who have escaped. They follow the sound of a bell to get to the other defectors.
Chris Brandt, Taco Bell's chief marketing officer, told Advertising Age the idea behind the campaign was to highlight how "there was a sea of sameness" in fast-food breakfast. "It's the most routinized time of day, and it's hard to get people out of being on autopilot. We're pushing against that routine… we don't want to look like everyone else."
The Breakfast Defectors campaign also includes a social media aspect. There is a Breakfast Defector Twitter handle, as well as a hash tag. The website, www.breakfastdefectors.com, encourages communication on social media with “missions.” For example, this weeks mission is to caption a specific image from their website and share it on Instagram or Twitter using #breakfastdefectors and #promo. These missions include deadlines and prizes.
The Results of the Campaign
According to Media Post, Taco Bell reported that breakfast has gone from virtually zero to generating 6% of its U.S. business. McDonald's, which had an estimated 31% share of out-of-home breakfast a year ago, now reportedly has about a 25% share.
In a recent article by Food Business News, Greg Creed, chief executive officer of Yum! Brands and former C.E.O. of Taco Bell Corp., said, “Technology is playing a huge part in the perception of Taco Bell as sort of “the millennial brand.”
Taco Bell seems to be on the right track with its new campaign. Only time will tell if the Breakfast Defectors are actually successful. If Taco Bell sales continue the way they are, maybe one day Taco Bell will beat McDonalds in the breakfast category.
Check out the Taco Bell Breakfast Short Film below:
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