El Pollo Loco Inc. has narrowed its search for a new advertising agency down to three contenders: Goodness Mfg., McCann West/Casanova Pendrill and RPA.
All three agencies are based in Southern California. Goodness Mfg. is based in Hollywood, while McCann West/Casanova Pendrill is headquartered in Los Angeles, and RPA is Santa Monica-based.
El Pollo Loco Inc. is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif.
In November, the 400-unit chain tapped SelectResources International (SRI), a nationally acclaimed consulting firm specializing in agency search and relationship management, to conduct an advertising agency review on its behalf.
El Pollo Loco is planning to announce its new AOR in February.
The selected agency will handle strategic marketing and communication needs, including English- and Spanish-language creative (broadcast and digital), in-restaurant merchandising, and local restaurant marketing.
El Pollo Loco’s current agencies, Krueger Communications for general audience advertising and cruz/kravetz:IDEAS for Hispanic advertising, elected not to participate in the review.
El Pollo Loco also works with ID Media, the nation’s largest direct response media services company. This work is not in review at this time. El Pollo Loco recently hired MBMG as its media strategy and buying partner for general market and Hispanic media beginning in 2011.
“We are incredibly impressed with the caliber of our agency finalists and eager to see the culmination of their creative talent in a brand challenge we will assign shortly,” said Mark Hardison, vice president of marketing for El Pollo Loco Inc. “From this process, we will select a single advertising agency that will provide a strategic, total market approach for El Pollo Loco that effectively captures and integrates all aspects of our brand communication.”
