People visit a Chipotle restaurant on February 09, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
Chipotle Mexican Grill has evolved into one of the most popular restaurant chains in the U.S., something its management team says is a credit to a change in marketing messaging under CEO Brian Niccol.
Chief marketing officer Chris Brandt, who like Niccol joined Chipotle in 2018 and previously worked at Taco Bell, said the company’s previous marketing mostly centered around what made it better than other brands.
Brandt told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin at a recent CNBC CMO Exchange virtual event that in recent years the company has emphasized what makes it unique and authentic, a shift which has translated into more sales and a cult social media following.
Be more “visible, relevant and loved,” Brandt said.
This marketing approach can require the company to take on social and political issues, and update its message for social media platforms where many younger consumers spend their time. Brandt weighed in on both of these topics during the conversation with CNBC.
Reminding employees that Chipotle is not a PAC
Becoming the No. 1 restaurant brand on TikTok
Chipotle’s social media presence has also helped it develop loyalty among younger consumers.
Amassing more than 1 million followers on all major social media platforms, its focus on TikTok, in particular, has paid off: in 2021, Chipotle became the “most followed food brand on TikTok.”
Company social media challenges, like the #GuacDance or “Lid Flip Challenge,” broke records for the video sharing app.
Brandt said Chipotle’s social media presence aligns with the traditional marketing philosophy of being where consumers are.
“TikTok is, for the younger consumer, like TV,” Brandt said. “It is a broad awareness message.”
While the company’s TikTok content may seem simplistic, Brandt said it helps to further present Chipotle as authentic on that platform, and he says each social media platform should be used strategically by brands.
“The key thing is wherever you are, make sure your advertising is endemic to that platform. The things we put on TikTok are unique to TikTok,” Brandt said. “We have a group of people internally and with an agency that have a really good sense of what’s cool on TikTok, what will be popular on TikTok, and so we really turn them loose. We use influencers, we do all those things. Each one has its own role.”
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/10/chipotle-would-rather-be-loved-by-customers-than-feared-by-competitors.html