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Taco Bell's graduation campaign adds social media elements

May 24, 2012

The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens' Graduate to Go initiative is inviting Americans to "like, share or tweet" to help at-risk teens graduate high school. In return, Taco Bell will give up to $1 million to Graduate to Go to support teen-serving organizations.

The $1 million gift represents the more than 1 million students that drop out of high school each year.

The Graduate to Go social media effort is part of a two-week campaign including a TV ad with Mark Wahlberg and national fundraiser in participating Taco Bell restaurants. From today to June 7, Taco Bell will donate $5 for each of the following actions taken (maximum total donation $1 million):

• "Like" the custom-designed graduation caps created by Boys & Girls Club teens that will be posted on the Taco Bell Facebook page;
• Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag #GraduatetoGo;
• Share Graduate to Go's new TV ad featuring Mark Wahlberg and teen, Mona Dixon.

"Like" the custom-designed graduation caps created by Boys & Girls Club teens that will be posted on the Taco Bell Facebook page; Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag #GraduatetoGo; Share Graduate to Go's new TV ad featuring Mark Wahlberg and teen, Mona Dixon.

"Graduate to Go strives to put a diploma in every teen's hand, and it's going to require action from all of us," said Greg Creed, chief executive officer, Taco Bell. "Taco Bell is providing simple ways to make a big difference both in our restaurants and online, and our hope is that we can inspire the nation to mobilize around this important cause."

More than 30 percent of teens in the U.S. and up to 50 percent of Latinos and African Americans fail to graduate with their class.

Raising funds at Taco Bell restaurants

Additionally, participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide will host the 4th annual Graduate to Go fundraiser through June 7 to encourage customers to donate $1 to fund teen programs. As thanks for customer support, participating restaurants will give contributors a taco coupon.

The success of the 2011 national fundraiser enabled the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens to distribute 350 grants totaling $3 million to Boys & Girls Clubs and other organizations that inspire teens to graduate high school.

To help bring more awareness to the dropout crisis, Actor/Producer Mark Wahlberg, the Graduate to Go ambassador for the third consecutive year, will appear in a national TV spot to encourage support. The ad features Boys & Girls Club Alumni Mona Dixon, who was helped by Graduate to Go through her involvement with the Club. Wahlberg also continues to support teens through his Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

In the TV spot titled "Imagine," Mark Wahlberg tells Mona Dixon's story of being homeless through her high school years and reveals how Graduate to Go helped her get where she is today – a successful college student with a 3.93 GPA.

Read more about cause marketing.