Chipotle's Content Marketing Works

Recently I watched a Bloomberg documentary about Chipotle, the burrito restaurant chain. One section of the video talked about Chipotle’s marketing techniques, and I have to say, there was nothing typical about what they talked about. Chipotle’s advertising and marketing portfolio is rather skimpy, with no typical broadcast advertisements and limited print ads over the years, Chipotle’s founder Steve Ells says the company has mostly relied on word of mouth to spread their business to new customers.  

But Chipotle has experimented with “alternative” marketing techniques in the category if ‘content marketing,’ a relatively new form of promotion. Executives at Chipotle have recognized the disconnect between traditional media advertising and the millennial generation, who sees these traditional techniques, such as typical TV advertisements, as ‘less authentic’ and hard to connect with. Chipotle takes a more ‘grassroots’ position, hosting music festivals and their Farm Team, which is a spin on traditional customer loyalty programs but with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Chipotle founder Steve Ells says this type of promotion is much more effective at reaching younger audiences.

RedBull is another notable company utilizing content marketing, with their numerous events they host (RedBull Flugtag,extreme sports events, music concerts, etc). RedBull also hosts an annual music collaborative ‘symposium’ of sorts called Red Bull Music Academy. Musicians from all over the world are invited to spend two weeks working together in one place creating new music and performing at shows. All of this to spread their brand and sell Red Bull, and it appears to be working really well for them.

Chipotle’s most recent marketing venture is a four-episode original comedy series entitled “Farmed and Dangerous,” which debuted on Hulu in February 2014. The series, which barely  mentions the restaurant chain, is a satire of modern industrial farming. The series comes on the heels of two short films produced by Chipotle (one in 2011 and another in 2013) with an emphasis on the need for more small farming operations. Chipotle says their intention is to educate viewers about the problems with industrial farming. This message-infused promotion is called cause marketing or ‘values branding’ amongst marketers.

Some experts claim promotional methods are becoming less and less effective, especially amongst younger audiences. It looks as if this type of marketing will stay popular into the next several years, with some experts claiming this is absolutely not a fad.

Wenzel, John. "Chipotle's Comedy Series Is a New Way to Brand, but Not All Are Amused." - The Denver Post. Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

Schoultz Mike. "A Story about Chipotle’s Non-Traditional Marketing Strategy." Digital Spark Marketing. Digital Spark Marketing, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

"Chipotle's Farm Team Grows Customer Loyalty." Widgets RSS. Wayne Hicks, 2 Sept. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.