After teasing its launch with a glowing pop-up in a Toronto condo window, Taco Bell can now be found on Canadian grocery-store shelves as a permanent addition.
Meera Patel, the Canadian director of marketing at the QSR, says the inspiration for “Taco Bell at Home” came from consumer attempts to recreate menu favourites in their own kitchens and by customer feedback that revealed an appetite for more choice and variety in the taco aisle.
Zeno Group Canada led PR and creative for the campaign while IPG Mediabrands’ Team Accelerate supported paid media. Taco Bell also worked with various IAT partners for the launch.
“Our goal is to refresh the category and delight Canadian consumers by bringing them what they said was missing from their taco nights,” Patel says.
The “Taco Bell at Home” line provides fans with the same seasonings, sauces and flavours that the restaurant offers while allowing consumers to customize and prep food as they see fit.
The order-customization approach is one that Taco Bell has leaned into in the past on creative like the customizable workwear contest for its Build-Your-Own-Box Value Menu.
The meal-kit launch is informed by brand insights that show one in five Canadians enjoy weekly taco nights and that Mexican-inspired cuisine is increasing in popularity in Canada.
The in-store marketing approach offers a “breakthrough in-store presence, ensuring the brand shows up in every retailer across the country, creating a true destination for shoppers,” according to Taco Bell.
“Leveraging strong retail relationships and our national scale allows us to compete effectively against a strong incumbent,” Patel says. “Additionally, inspired shelf execution and impactful displays will drive breakthrough visibility and engagement at the point of purchase.”
The campaign kicked off via a downtown Toronto pop-up that featured a large glowing Taco Bell logo in a condo window. A launch announcement for “Taco Bell at Home” was ultimately made late last month.
Taco Bell’s grocery-store move comes on the heels of similar moves by several indirect competitors in recent years.
Tim Hortons expanded its footprint into grocery in 2015 and family casual restaurants chains such as Swiss Chalet and Montana’s are among notable brands that have also established in-store presences.
