Dive Brief:
- Taco Bell is installing camera stations at select drive-thru locations, teasing that customers who stop to take a pic may be featured in its upcoming Super Bowl ad, per a press release.
- The Live Más Drive-Thru Cams are available to members of the fast food chain’s rewards program, who can log in and scan a QR code at the end of the drive-thru lane at participating restaurants for a photo shoot.
- The camera stations will snap six photos of both the driver and passenger sides of the car and send two digital photo strips containing three photos each to the email address registered to Taco Bell rewards. Taco Bell has ramped up a focus on experiences this year as it anticipates a return to big game advertising.
Dive Insight:
Taco Bell is building hype around its return to the Super Bowl following a three-year hiatus with the Live Más Drive-Thru Cams. The camera stations, which are equipped with bright neon signage, could spur more store traffic and sign-ups for Taco Bell Rewards as diners vie for a cameo in the brand’s big game spot. The ad is expected to air during the third quarter of the broadcast on Feb. 9.
The Yum Brands-owned chain is positioning the concept as a break from Super Bowl campaigns that rely on A-list stars. Big game ad lineups in recent years have received flak for leaning too hard on celebrity partnerships that do not have a clear link back to the brand’s identity. Taco Bell’s last Super Bowl showing, in 2022, starred the pop singer and rapper Doja Cat, an avowed fan of the Crunchwrap Supreme purveyor.
“Every day in our drive-thrus we see moments that are so uniquely ‘our fans’ — the moments, the memories, and the energy that makes Taco Bell who we are,” said Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery in a press statement. “That’s why, for our return to football’s biggest stage, we’re sidelining the celebrities and turning the camera on the fans who already make Taco Bell what it is. We’re inviting Taco Bell Rewards members to come through and do you.”
The Live Más Drive Thru-Cams begin their rolling tour around the U.S. Tuesday, first hitting Los Angeles before moving on to cities including Middleburg Heights, Ohio; Cookeville, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; and Wauchula, Florida. The picture stations will be open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Taco Bell’s Super Bowl commercial will be produced with Biite, which also helped the QSR execute a Live Más Live experience in Las Vegas in January. The gathering, which took place ahead of Super Bowl weekend, showcased Taco Bell’s latest products and partnerships and was inspired by tech keynotes. Taco Bell’s larger integrated campaign heading into Super Bowl LIX includes work from Edelman, Spark Foundry, The Syndicate, Deeplocal and Cycle/Laundry Service.
