Fast-casual Mexican cuisine Chipotle is dialing up the heat on a Canadian expansion and recruitment strategy as it aims to staff up for its second-busiest season of the year, as well as the opening of 10 new locations across the country.
A cornerstone of that strategy is a creative campaign that builds on the brand’s “Behind the Foil” television spots.
Anchoring the campaign is a series of new commercials featuring real Chipotle employees who discuss the company’s daily preparation of staples like guacamole, its use of fresh ingredients, and the impact that working for the brand has had on their lives. The campaign is a version of one developed by Venables Bell + Partners for the U.S. market, which is behind the spots running in Canada, shot by documentarian Errol Morris.
“‘Behind the Foil’ celebrates the heart of Chipotle – our team,” explains Chris Brandt, chief brand officer. “There is no better way to make Chipotle more visible, relevant and loved than to feature our talented restaurant team members preparing our craveable, real food while sharing their authentic stories.”
The effort zeros in on the brand’s core target demographic. The average age of the company’s restaurant employees is 24 years old, and armed with data that shows 40% of Generation Z prefer to search on social media compared to traditional search engines, the brand is seeking to live where they do, aggressively courting potential employees on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
@chipotle today i met a robot #news #tech ♬ original sound – Chipotle
These tactics extend beyond the “Behind the Foil” spots and also include short TikTok videos that feature cooking content, kitchen ASMR and perks of the job – including that it can offer opportunities for advancement to ownership, with more than 85% of the brand’s restaurant leadership having started in junior ranks at the company.
“We are eager to cultivate new talent and develop future leaders within our company to help us achieve our aggressive growth goals,” explains Anat Davidzon, managing director of Chipotle Canada.
GCI Canada is handling PR for the effort.
