Taco Bell

B2C Regional / Field Marketing l Customer Segmentation, Specialty Products, Value Pricing and Effective Campaigns Generate Double-Digit Growth

Christopher Vickers Brand, Content & MarCom Team Player, Strategist, Writer, Mentor, Leader

Soft Taco Supreme Combo

Background

As health consciousness was on the rise, quick-service restaurant (fast food) category sales were in slow decline, providing limited opportunity for growth. McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s (the “big three”) dominated the category, ranking first, second, and third respectively in awareness, attitudes and usage (AAU), sales and market share.

Despite its unique menu and large national footprint, Taco Bell ranked a distant fourth. Corporate leadership had set aggressive goals for growth — especially in key regional markets — but faced limited opportunity using traditional means.

My Role: Player Coach I was strategic lead responsible for supervising and managing direct reports and colleagues, supporting and leading a large cross-functional team, guiding and developing research, analysis, insight and campaign strategy, and nurturing and supervising campaign development, production, implementation, measurement, reporting and optimization across multiple channels.

Research, Analysis & Insight

Heavy users (males 18-24) account for roughly 60% of all fast food purchases but the majority of their purchases are from the big three. Our market research revealed three alternative customer segments: 1) Heavy users who were more price sensitive; 2) Medium and light QSR users who were interested in healthier food and 3) A segment of medium and light users who were interested in take-home meals. 

Hard Shell Taco Variety

Development, Production & Implementation

We developed and executed integrated regional campaigns (TV & radio, paid display, OOH, POP, sweepstakes, contests and more) promoting 1) Value-priced Combos to price-conscious heavy users; 2) Healthier products (e.g., veggie burrito) to health-conscious medium and light users and 3) Take-home meals to medium users, especially working moms.

Burrito Supreme Combo

Measurement, Reporting & Optimization

Over three years, our integrated campaigns contributed to increasing same store sales an average of 10-12% YOY.

Agency FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding)