Daily Brief:
- Chipotle Mexican Grill will dole out its coveted Celebrity Card, which grants cardholders one free meal per day for one 12 months, to up to five fans on social media, according to a press release.
- Now through July 3, Chipotle fans can apply to change into a cardholder across TikTok, Instagram and X. To be eligible, applicants must share a chunk of content explaining why they’re deserving of a Celebrity Card and use the hashtag #CelebCardContest.
- The promotion, which launched June 24, underscores social media’s growing role in defining celebrity. It was originally focused on LinkedIn, but was moved to other social platforms inside a day following high demand, the corporate reported.
Chipotle is giving a nod to social media’s role in redefining who is taken into account a star by extending applications for the Celebrity Card, which has been issued for over 20 years, to anyone on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. The focus on social media could help construct loyalty with a widespread range of consumers, including Gen Z.
The expansion of Chipotle’s Celebrity Card also reflects the fast casual chain’s focus on promotional activity at a time when consumers are concerned about high food prices. In Q1, successful promotions helped drive visits to Chipotle above the fast-casual industry average.
“We are expanding on what it means to be a Chipotle celebrity and relaunching this system to deepen our connections with our most devoted guests,” said Chris Brandt, chief brand officer at Chipotle, in an announcement.
From June 25 through July 3, consumers can apply for a Celebrity Card by sharing a chunk of content that explains why they needs to be chosen by Chipotle to change into a cardholder. The content could range from a photograph to a video or include a poem, essay, original song, artwork or other symbol of creativity.
The Celebrity Card promotion was originally offered only on LinkedIn, via the job networking platform’s Easy Apply feature, when the trouble launched on June 24. Following high demand, applications were prolonged to other social platforms “to increase accessibility for applicants,” per details shared by Chipotle. Applications that were submitted on LinkedIn on June 24 will still be counted as eligible entries.
In total, up to five winners will likely be chosen to receive a Celebrity Card and will likely be notified on July 12 via email. Cardholders can have access to one free Chipotle meal per day including chips, a side and drink for one 12 months, together with one catering order for up to 50 people in the course of the 12 months.
Chipotle issued its first Celebrity Card in 2003 after musician-turned-television-star Ozzy Osbourne praised the fast casual chain on his family’s reality television show. Since then, Chipotle has continued to dole out the cardboard to notable superfans and has received 1000’s of requests for cards from consumers on social media, per release details.
Finally making good on those requests, Chipotle’s move to activate across social platforms to offer the cardboard could help it connect with its leading Gen Z fan base. The original move to activate on LinkedIn would likely have yielded the same effect, because the the cohort currently represents the fastest-growing demographic on the platform, per LinkedIn data cited in the unique materials.
Others have similarly looked to LinkedIn because the platform shores up fresh potential in areas like influencer marketing. In April, L’Oréal Paris launched the “Worth It Resume” campaign, which invited women to share stories of how setbacks can lead to success, by sharing resumes on LinkedIn created by brand ambassadors including Eva Longoria and Kate Winslet. In February, Olipop sought out a best friend duo to join the brand as “senior soda consultants” for its national tour, with applications for the position shared each online and via LinkedIn.
The latest move from Chipotle follows a lot of other marketing stunts geared toward the younger generation. In April, the chain again linked itself to the gaming community with the announcement of several activations tied to its status as an official partner of 2024 fighting game Tekken 8. Prior, the marketer sought to recruit Gen Z employees with behind-the-scenes social media content highlighting what it’s like to work on the chain.
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