News

Taco Bell celebrates bowl season in the end zone

December 27, 2010

As we eagerly wait to see if Oregon or Auburn will be crowned college football king in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz., Taco Bell has the spread covered. The chain has launched its Touchdown $5 Buck Box to feed gridiron fans throughout bowl season.

The Touchdown $5 Buck Box comes with five menu items in a special BCS/ESPN football field-themed package, including the new Beefy Crunch Burrito. The Touchdown $5 Buck Box comes in two varieties:

• Beefy Crunch Burrito Box: Includes the Beefy Crunch Burrito, Crunchwrap Supreme, Crunchy Taco, Cinnamon Twists and medium drink.
• Volcano Box: Includes the Volcano Beef Burrito, Volcano Taco, Crunchy Taco, Cinnamon Twists and medium drink.

Created in conjunction with ESPN and the BCS, the Touchdown $5 Buck Box features tune-in messages for the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Discover Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.

When the meal’s over, the box can be converted into a mini finger-flick football field. The taco wrapper comes with instructions on how to fold it into a football, and the yard and hash-markers are set on a “green field” with BCS Bowl logos.

“At Taco Bell, we're huge college football fans, and as fans get ready for the culmination of a great season, we’re prepared to tackle their hunger," said David Ovens, chief marketing officer, Taco Bell Corp. “The Touchdown $5 Buck Box satisfies even the largest appetites with a combination of Taco Bell favorites, an icy-cold drink, and a themed 'Touchdown’ big box we developed in conjunction with ESPN.”

Taco Bell has been an official partner of the BCS since 2007.

The marketing agreement with ESPN includes a variety of activations leading up to and at the Tostitos BCS Championship Game and other BCS Bowl Games. ESPN will feature Taco Bell in its inaugural “virtual billboard” on SportsCenter during the weeks of Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

As part of the partnership, ESPN will show Taco Bell integrated features on College GameDay prior to the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO and on the pre-game show for the Discover Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Tostitos BCS National Championship.

Additionally, at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Tostitos BCS Championship games, Taco Bell’s Touchdown $5 Buck Box activation will coincide with a QB Scramble competition. At the other BCS bowls, Taco Bell will sponsor an obstacle course and armchair quarterback challenge. Every BCS bowl tailgate will include free Taco Bell crunchy tacos during designated times and while supplies last.

Intersport-Chicago manages Taco Bell’s BCS on-site activation, while Draftfcb produced the 15- and 30-second TV spots featuring the meal, which will air throughout college football’s post-season. Draftfcb (Irvine, Calif.) also created the flick-football packaging for the Touchdown $5 Box and the in-store messaging.