Chipotle's integrated marketing strategy for rebuilding consumer trust

Chipotle

The new integrated marketing campaign is intended to take Chipotle past whatever issue or controversy that is in the company's past.

Target

Chipotle is one of the largest quick service restaurants in the U.S. It is ranked 14th on the QSR Top 50 of quick service chains, and with a fast rate of growth. This, coupled with the company's rapid growth, highlights that Chipotle is attractive to consumers, and is one of the fast-growing companies in an otherwise mature industry. With over $4 billion in sales nationwide, and $2.4 million in sales per location, Chipotle appeals to a fairly broad market. Its general target market consists of people ages 25-40, both genders, and either white or Hispanic. The company's message about sustainable sourcing and healthy eating resonates particularly well with this market. Geographically, Chipotle works with a very broad segment of the market. The target market in this case wants two things. The first thing that the target market wants is to have fast food that is superior to the usual -- and this market is willing to pay for that, but not willing to sacrifice the convenience aspect. The second thing that this target market wants is to have a clear conscience. The usual Chipotle target market is comprised of people who are interested in eating well, but who are also constrained in terms of either time or price. The average person within the Chipotle target market does not necessarily think in terms of these constraints, but those constraints surely exist.

Perceptions

Chipotle has a strong brand image, and ultimately the current program should not undermine that. The reality is that Chipotle needs to convey the image of a company that has high ethical standards, in particular with respect to its suppliers. the perception that should be conveyed is that nothing has changed, and Chipotle remains a trusted supplier of choice for great meals. The key here is that whatever controversy there might have been is in the past. The customer has probably forgotten about it, and the company would like any customers or future customers to also forget about it.

Timeframe

The message is an ongoing message, because it is a central part of Chipotle's branding. Thus, the message will run for about a year, conveying the same things that have generally made Chipotle attractive to this target market. The timeframe therefore is one year, and the message will be rolled out and reinforced over this time period. The message will be delivered steadily over the entire time frame.

Where

The message will be consistent throughout the different media forms that Chipotle uses. For example, a campaign will bring this message to the masses via the mainstream media and via social media. Such an approach provides enough opportunity for the target audience to be exposed to the message. The reality is that social media is a good way to receive this message, but can be tricky to execute, because the message will often be passed around, from one recipient to the next.

The most effective media within the communication mix will be mainstream media -- print, radio and maybe television. The latter may not work as it costs a lot of money to get the needed repetition, but certainly the first two are viable options. The media needs to convey its message consistently, and this can occur with a carefully planned media campaign. The fact that Chipotle targets a fairly broad target market only makes it more likely to focus on a broader target market. This is important for the company because such a target market is not necessarily the best -- it needs to utilize the mass media to deliver its message to a broad cross-section of the market in order to be at its most effective.

Cost

The cost of a nationwide marketing campaign that spans multiple different mainstream media outlets is in excess of $1 million, and is probably closer to $2 million. Saturation advertising is very expensive, but that is what Chipotle needs to convey this particular message. Overall, the cost should be in that $2 million range for this promotion to be effective.