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Male Gen-Z Opps: Taco Bell launches new campaign

As part of its first global marketing campaign, Taco Bell (TB) will give out free tacos on May 4 in celebration of a "new lunar phase": the "Taco Moon." The moon will reportedly look like a taco on this day (see image right), so props for cleverness. The campaign will include TV, social and digital content. It will encourage people to sign up for the fast food chain's app since digital customers can claim their free tacos all day rather than having the smaller time window everyone else will have.

According to iSpot, TB has spent approximately $87.3m on national TV commercials YTD; by this point last year, up9 % from the approximately $79.9m it had spent by this point last year. The company ended up spending approximately $214.9m on this channel in all of 2020, down 19% from the approximately $264.1m it spent in 2019. This year, TB's commercials have targeted male, sports-oriented viewers of programs such as NFL Football, College Basketball, NBA Basketball, College Football and the 2021 Daytona 500. 

So far this year, Pathmatics reports the company has allocated roughly $28.4m toward digital ads, over 3x the roughly $16.8m it allocated within the same 2020 timeframe. TB's estimated full-year spend similarly more than tripled in 2020 to $77.2m from that of $20.9m in 2019. It has earned around 2.5b digital impressions YTD via desktop video (59%), Facebook (25%), Instagram (11%) and mobile video (5%) ads. 91% of this year's desktop video ads have been YouTube videos.

Additionally, Magellan reports TB has aired ten podcast ads within the past 12 months after only having aired two with the prior 12-month period. 

As you can tell, the company's TV spend is picking up again after having dropped YOY last year. Judging by its sharply increasing digital spend and reliance on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram advertising, its traditionally male target demographic is primarily Gen-Z right now. It targets both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking consumers. I've also noticed OTT ads for TB, particularly via Hulu. Per Kantar data, the company additionally invests in print, radio, OOH and local broadcast. 

Agency & martech readers - We haven't heard of any roster shifts since TB promoted global CBO Nikki Lawson in Edelman DC handles its PR (start date unknown).