Chipotle launched a new national TV ad on Jan. 25 that juxtaposes the brand’s all-natural ingredients with the frozen, factory-produced food of some fast-food competitors, per details shared with Marketing Dive. Created by agency Venables Bell & Partners, the campaign will run across video channels.
The 15-second “Choices” contrasts daily prep at the fast-casual Mexican chain — chicken and fajita vegetables on the grill, fresh avocados being smashed for guacamole — with images of nuggets in fryer baskets and frozen burger patties on a conveyor belt. Soundtracked with “Choices” by rapper E-40, the imagery changes to match the song’s “yup” and “nope” lyrics.
The ad continues Chipotle’s long-running marketing focus on its real ingredients, a message that has become even more resonant as the “Make America Healthy Again” movement continues to call out ultraprocessed foods and artificial ingredients and has lead to changes in the food industry.
“From a brand standpoint, it’s not a new message, but I think the trend right now, more than ever, is that consumers really care about what goes into their food,” said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s interim CMO. “You can see that in social media: whether it’s in the news or whether in the grocery store, people care more than ever if there are artificial flavors and colors or preservatives in their food, what goes into the food, the thought that goes into the food, where it's from, and how it's made.”
The competitive tone of the ad, which implicates unnamed fast-food restaurants, is also not new for the brand. Chipotle in 2011 made waves with “Back to the Start,” an animated ad that called out industrial food production, and for years has activated around the Scripps National Spelling Bee by challenging kids to spell its ingredients and the complex ones used by competitors.
“This ad definitely is making you think about the food that you eat, and our values,” Perdue said. “We really care about using 53 ingredients, being really transparent about that and making the food fresh. Chicken fingers, chicken nuggets… where do those come from?”
Marketing changes
“Choices” is the latest effort during an active marketing period for Chipotle. The brand recently partnered with the PGA Tour and EA Sports College Football 26, and released new episodes of its “Unwrapped” video series featuring winter-sports athletes. Last month, Chipotle debuted a high-protein menu and new snack offerings at a time when many consumers are prioritizing protein.
“We're on air now with our high-protein menu, really reinforcing [Chipotle] as a place for clean protein,” Perdue said. “This [ad] is almost like a second chapter to that story… this spot is complementary to that campaign.”
The launch of the high-protein menu, inclusive of snacks and smaller entrees, has allowed Chipotle to communicate its value proposition without resorting to value offers in the “four-for-four” mold, Perdue explained, especially as economic headwinds continue to drag on its business.
“Chipotle thinks about their values differently than just price value, and that's where this new ‘Choices’ ad plays a role, because there's value in eating fresh food. There's value in eating food that’s not hiding additives or preservatives. It's another way to talk about value in a way that’s not exclusively defined by price,” the executive said.
The “Choices” effort is one of Chipotle’s first under Perdue, who this month was appointed interim chief marketing officer after the departure of award-winning Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt. Previously Chipotle’s vice president of brand marketing, Perdue has been at the chain since 2018, spent more than 12 years at competitor Taco Bell and is looking to continue the marketing that has made the chain a category leader.
“What I'm looking to do now in the CMO role is continue to tell a breakthrough story about Chipotle and really accelerate innovation… This year you're going to see Chipotle really double down on menu innovation and different occasions. That's really exciting, and it's a place that we haven't been for the past several years,” the executive said. “The brand is very unique, and that's what's really exciting, from an advertising standpoint.”
