News

Taco Bell turns to Tumblr to market new Doritos taco

May 8, 2014

Taco Bell's newest Doritos Locos Taco — the Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch — debuts today at restaurants nationwide.

According to a news release, the offering features Taco Bell's new spicy shredded chicken on the inside of the Cool Ranch Doritos taco shell. It is the fourth offering within the brand's most successful product platform ever — with more than 825 million DLTs sold since the March 2012 launch.

"The Doritos Locos Tacos continues to be widely popular, and after launching Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch and Fiery DLT, we knew it was time to put a different twist on the menu item," CMO Chris Brandt said in the release. "We've innovated on the outside and now we're innovating on the inside to make one of our best tasting tacos ever."

The suggested retail price is $1.59 for Regular and $1.89 for a Supreme.

Taco Bell is promoting the launch via Tumblr with a GIF comic book featuring 24 animated GIFs that document the brand's Snapchat film, which made its debut in April at the MTV Movie Awards. The company said the GIF comic book is a first.

Also, late May will bring the brand's first-ever Internet scavenger hunt where consumers will have the chance to win custom designed items such as Taco Bell socks from The Hundreds, as well as an exclusive DLT-themed t-shirt from PacSun. Information on how to participate will be available via the brand's social media channels.

"When it comes to social media, we want our fans to feel like our friends, experiencing from us the latest cool and interesting news and trends," Brandt said. "We have built a reputation as a brand willing to take risks and be unexpected — yet extraordinary — socially, and with the new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT, we are taking our established platforms like Tumblr to the next level."

New television creative to support the launch of the new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT, titled "Black Sheep," will also be featured. The creative was produced by Deutsch LA and directed by Craig Gillespie.

Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT will be supported by television and digital advertising led by Deutsch L.A., in-store POP and packaging by FCBLA, as well as social and public relations support from DigitasLBi and Taylor, respectively.