I’ve been known to drive miles out of the way to find a T-Bell. Their crunchy tacos are my guilty pleasure. During the summer I was pregnant with the twins (during a heat wave) I squeezed myself behind the wheel of my car drove 8 miles to eat tacos in my car with the air conditioner rocking. I called my husband and told him I had hit rock bottom. Sure there was a T-Bell closer to my house but that one didn’t have a drive thru and I was too embarassed to heave my uber pregnant self through the door.
Anyway … Taco Bell has tackled the new year’s resolution of “I’m going to lose weight” with their new campaign Drive-Thru Diet. While I think the execution online is clumsy and cheezy, I think they got this one right from a strategic point of view. Women (and men) aren’t giving up fast food to lose weight (despite their Good Intentions) but they are open to making smarter decisions when they order. I believe that these 7 menu items will be attractive to gen pop because they still feel indulgent and will do the job to fill a fast food fix.
Bottom line: Taco Bell will always stand for 7 layer, fried, gordito, triple cheesy and spicy food but they are doing the right thing by showing customers they don’t have to abandon the brand to lose weight.
Could not agree more Jen. I think the media has been a bit harsh in blasting TB for this one. Minus the word “Diet” I think it’s a great idea.
Other fast food chains have gotten away with selling salads matched with fatty, high carb dressings for years. It’s not about it being the absolute most healthy choice, but moreso about being a “better” choice when you find yourself in that drive-thru lane.
And let’s be honest, how many women (and men) have rationalized the many mexican chains as being ‘better than a having french fries’ since there are some veggies involved. =)
Amen, Adrianne. We are constantly talking to brands about being a better than solution. Even baby steps helps people change their habits.
[...] women looking to lose weight don’t want to give up what they love to get results (see our post on Taco Bell’s Drive Thru Diet), this product seems to be stuck in the Half Truth land of believing women want miracles and will [...]