Taco Bell Franchise News

Mark Wahlberg to Appear in New Graduate to Go Ad to Support National Fundraising Campaign in Taco Bell Restaurants
May 25, 2012 // Franchising.com // Irvine, CA – The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens’ Graduate to Go initiative is inviting Americans to like, share or tweet to help at-risk teens graduate high school. In return, Taco Bell will give up to $1 million to Graduate to Go to support teen-serving organizations. The $1 million gift represents the more than 1 million students that drop out of high school each year.
The Graduate to Go social media effort is part of a two-week campaign including a TV ad with Mark Wahlberg and national fundraiser in participating Taco Bell restaurants. From May 24 to June 7, Taco Bell will donate $5 for each of the following actions taken (maximum total donation $1 million):

“Like” the custom-designed graduation caps created by Boys & Girls Club teens that will be posted on the Taco Bell Facebook page
Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag #GraduatetoGo
Share Graduate to Go’s new TV ad featuring Mark Wahlberg and teen, Mona Dixon...

Nashville, TN, April 12, 2012 --(PR.com)-- More than $30,000 was awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee by the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens which supported the 2012 Taco Bell Keystone College Tour. Encouraging Middle Tennessee teens stay in school and graduate, Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee offered approximately 40 teens the opportunity to participate through the "Graduate to Go" experience grant.
With visits to Asbury University, the University of Kentucky, Indiana University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Martin University, University of Notre Dame, University of Chicago & University of Illinois at Chicago, teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County, had a full schedule of touring college campuses, attending admissions presentations, meeting University staff and more...

Fifty Years After Introducing the Crunchy Taco to America, Taco Bell Partners with Frito-Lay to Reinvent its Most Popular Menu Item Company Celebrates with Midnight Launch and Biggest Product Introduction in its History
IRVINE, Calif., March 8, 2012 – Taco Bell® made history when it introduced the crunchy taco 50 years ago, becoming the first to bring Mexican-inspired food to several generations and millions of Americans. Last night at 12:00 a.m. midnight, Taco Bell launched another first reinventing its most popular menu item and introducing Doritos® Locos Tacos.
Doritos Locos Tacos features a shell made out of Nacho Cheese Doritos chips on the outside, with the classic tastes of the Taco Bell crunchy taco on the inside: 100 percent premium seasoned beef, crisp shredded lettuce and real cheddar cheese...

Co-Branding Partners Include Johnsonville®, Cinnabon®, Tropicana and Seattle’s Best Coffee.
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 26, 2011 – Taco Bell® today introduced FirstMeal™, a new breakfast menu that combines great Taco Bell value with classic breakfast tastes. Starting today, eleven unique menu items will be offered in 10 Western states, including California, Arizona and Colorado. Featuring some of America’s favorite breakfast brands such as Johnsonville®, Cinnabon®, Tropicana and Seattle’s Best Coffee, individual items will range from 99 cents (sausage or bacon and egg burrito) to $2.79 (Grande Skillet Burrito), with participating restaurants opening their doors and drive-thrus one hour earlier...

Heading Into MLB Postseason, Giants Closer Featured in Brand's National Ad Campaign
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 6, 2011 – It's big – and it's back. Taco Bell® today announced the return of its Chalupa of epic portions, the XXL Chalupa, offering consumers twice the premium seasoned beef as its Chalupa Supreme, plus nacho cheese sauce. Holding it all in is an XXL crispy shell, which makes it easier to contain its large number of toppings, including crunchy red strips, crisp lettuce, cool reduced fat sour cream, three cheese blend and fiesta salsa. Available at participating stores nationwide, the XXL Chalupa is also available in chicken and steak – and only for a limited time.
"The XXL Chalupa is back for our hungriest fans, and it's still big enough to bring in a 'closer' to help," said Martin Hennessy, Senior Director of Brand Experience, Taco Bell Corp...

Sixth Annual Feed the Beat® Program Opens for Artists to Get Free Food, Unique Marketing Support; Entries Due Sept. 9 August 10, 2011 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, Calif. – Today, Taco Bell® announced the call for entries for its 2011 Feed the Beat® program, giving 100 artists $500 in Taco Bell gift cards to keep their hunger satisfied on the road while also providing unique marketing support to further enhance their career. To sign up, artists can go online now through Friday, Sept. 9 at http://www.feedthebeat.com. The lineup will be announced on Mon., Sept. 26. Great music, free food, that's Feed the Beat.

For Philadelphia hip-hip duo Chiddy Bang, being a Taco Bell Feed the Beat artist meant more than free Taco Bell Fourthmeal...

Social Media Sweepstakes Also Offers Chance to Win a Trip to the Video Music Awards July 26, 2011 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, Calif. – Today, Taco Bell® launches the Big Box Remixed, which combines the flavor of four classic Taco Bell menu items with the freshness of exclusive music content via a mobile site, packaged in a specially designed MTV™ Video Music Awards (VMAs) box.

Taco Bell features its first QR code on packaging – also known as a 'Quick Response' code available using a free QR reader app on smartphones –on its Big Box Remixed and large cups that dishes out exclusive music content over a six-week period leading up to this year's VMAs on Sun., Aug. 28. This exclusive content will highlight Taco Bell Feed the Beat® artists Wallpaper and Chiddy Bang, as well as stream VMA sneak peeks and teasers, performance footage, artist interviews and a look at the artists to be featured at the Friday Night Pre-VMA Concert Event sponsored by Taco Bell on Fri...

Chiddy Bang Is First-Ever Feed the Beat Artist Featured in a Taco Bell National Campaign May 16, 2011 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif. – Taco Bell® is calling out to those ready to celebrate, who want to be the "life of the party," that the secret is B.Y.O.T. (Bring Your Own Tacos). The Taco 12 Pack, 12 Crunchy Tacos for $10 at participating locations, is the new must-have party accessory of the summer season - and to create the perfect summer soundtrack to go with it, Taco Bell is bringing the music of Feed the Beat® artist Chiddy Bang to millions of Americans via television and online.

Through its Feed the Beat program, Taco Bell has provided 365 up-and-coming artists with $500 in Taco Bell Bucks per band. Great music...

Company Thanks Fans for Their Support With Goal of Rewarding 10 Million Free Tacos To Its Facebook Community February 09, 2011 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif. – Just one "Like" will lead to a lot of love. Taco love, that is.

Beginning today, Taco Bell launched the world's largest free taco offer on Facebook, with the opportunity to thank each of its fans with a free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco. The online offer is only available to Facebook members who "Like" the Taco Bell page, allowing each fan access to print the coupon.

"Throughout the beef class action lawsuit, the response and enthusiasm from our Facebook community has been overwhelmingly positive," said Greg Creed, Chief Executive Officer, Taco Bell...

After losing 54 pounds by reducing her daily calories with the help of 'Fresco-style' menu items, Taco Bell spokesperson for better choices finishes race in 4 hours, 29 minutes November 10, 2010 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, Calif. – Nine months ago, Christine Dougherty had never run more than a mile in her life. Now, thanks to a daily road routine, a training coach – and Taco Bell's® Drive-Thru Diet® Menu, with great tasting, quality items containing nine or less grams of fat – yesterday Christine completed one of the largest marathons in the world, based in New York City, with a time of 4 hours, 29 minutes.

"I have tried exercise in the past, but it was hard for me to stay focused and stick to a routine," said Christine, 28, of Pensacola, Fla...

Feed the Beat® Gives Shout-Out to 100 Artists Who Love Taco Bell With Tacos, Burritos and Much More October 07, 2010 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, Calif. – While many bands are hungry for their 'big break,' Taco Bell is helping to satisfy their hunger for food by helping to pick up their late-night dinner tabs. Today, 100 bands and artists were announced as the 2010 Taco Bell® Feed the Beat® lineup. The fifth annual Feed the Beat program, which provides bands with $500 in Taco Bell Bucks while on tour and influential exposure, received more applications than ever before. These musicians are passionate for their music and for Taco Bell, and now can regularly fulfill their cravings for Fourthmeal – Taco Bell's signature late-night meal between dinner and breakfast...

Feed the Beat® Bands Headline mtvU VMA Pre-Tour and Open for a VMA Weekend Concert Event September 10, 2010 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, CALIF. – Today's hottest artists are waiting to see if they will win at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards -- but Taco Bell® is already scouting for future potential recipients of the network's coveted moonman statue. As sponsor of both the MTV VMAs Friday night concert and the VMAs House Artist in-show moments, featuring deadmau5, Taco Bell's Feed the Beat® program makes an encore appearance at MTV's biggest weekend of the year to serve up-and-coming bands both tacos and increased exposure.

Feed the Beat artist Never Shout Never, along with Jason Derulo, will heat up the stage at the MTV VMAs Friday night concert on Friday, Sept...

Cantina Tacos from Taco Bell® Feature Mexican Restaurant-Style Quality August 03, 2010 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif. – A new line of Mexican-restaurant style tacos and all-new Carnitas Shredded Pork await at Taco Bell® starting today with the introduction of its all-new Cantina Tacos. With quality and authenticity you can see and taste, Cantina Tacos include grilled, warm corn tortillas, Premium Fire-Grilled Chicken, Premium Cut Carne Asada Steak or Carnitas Shredded Pork topped off with a chopped onion and cilantro blend and a freshly sliced lime wedge for a burst of citrus flavor.

Taco Bell has always considered itself Mexican-inspired. Now at Taco Bell, Cantina Tacos give consumers the choice to experience high-quality, freshly-prepared Mexican tacos from a quick service restaurant (QSR) that combine the traits of authentic street tacos with the familiarity of Taco Bell value...

Barkley "Goes Hollywood" As Ad Also Featured In Cinema June 08, 2010 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif. – Its showtime! Taco Bell®, the Official Quick Service Restaurant of the NBA, is about to fast break across your TV screens, as Basketball Hall-of-Famer and Emmy Award-winning commentator Charles Barkley will star in ads for its newly launched $2 Meal Deal.

The ad will premiere during Game One of the NBA Finals on ABC, Thursday, June 3. It will also be seen on the big screen, as it airs in cinema, taking advantage of the summer movie season, which is in full swing nationwide.

The :30 ad plays to Barkley's signature line "that's terrible." He and a friend, who is eating a Taco Bell $2 Meal Deal featuring a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, are in his recreation room playing billiards when Barkley shakes his head and says, "That's terrible...

Charles Barkley Featured In Ad Airing During Football's Biggest Game, Highlights New Value Meal, Taco Bell's Marketing Partnership With The Nba February 05, 2010 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, Calif. - Taco Bell®, the Official Quick Service Restaurant of the NBA, announced today the debut of its new NBA Five Buck Box that is sure to satisfy big appetites for value and basketball, while its ad creative is sure to excite the nearly 100 million viewers of Football's Biggest Game. The box includes five Taco Bell All-Star menu items in special NBA-themed packaging, which includes images of some of the league's biggest stars.

The Taco Bell NBA Five Buck Box integration will be promoted through television and radio ads featuring Basketball Hall-of-Famer and Emmy Award-winning commentator Charles Barkley that will air before, during and following Football's Biggest Game...

NEW YORK, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Taco Bell Corp., a division of Yum! Brands Inc. today appointed R/GA as its lead digital agency. As part of an enhanced effort to further integrate digital into their marketing mix, Taco Bell is partnering with R/GA on strategic and creative duties. Initially, this includes revamping both their website (tacobell.com) and digital relationship marketing efforts.

The account will be led by R/GA San Francisco in collaboration with R/GA New York.

"R/GA presented Taco Bell with a variety of breakthrough strategic ideas rooted in sharp consumer insights. They demonstrated a superb understanding of our customers and how they live and interact in today's digital world," said Lyle Swart, Sr...

Taco Bell's® "Steal A Base, Steal A Taco" MLB® World Series® Offer Returns To Reward Fans October 20, 2008 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif., – With America hungry for some positive news, Taco Bell® is giving fans an extra tasty incentive to tune into the 2008 Major League Baseball World Series and cheer for action on the base paths as one player will have the opportunity to steal millions of free tacos for America.

Taco Bell, the official Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) of Major League Baseball® (MLB), today announced that its highly successful “Steal A Base, Steal A Taco” promotion will return for a second year during the Fall Classic™. If any player, from either team, during any game, steals the first stolen base of the 2008 World Series, everyone in the U...

Bands Will Compete For Marketing Support In "Best Of The Beat" Contest With Music As Centerpiece For Feed The Beat’s Virtual Music Festival Web SiteOctober 10, 2008 // Franchising.com // Irvine, CALIF.,– Taco Bell® today named 100 artists to its 2008 Feed the Beat lineup as it once again hooks up America’s up-and-coming rock acts as they hit the road. Bands from across the nation, hailing from music hotbeds like Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and Seattle will receive $500 in free Fourthmeal, the late night meal between dinner and breakfast, and vie for an important next career-building step: marketing support for their music.

Feed the Beat bands each have a dedicated page on Taco Bell's recently launched Virtual Music Festival Web site (www...

Reality Tv Stars Heidi Montag And Spencer Pratt Join Taco Bell To Help Raise Awareness In Support Of World Hunger Relief Movement And The World Food Programme September 26, 2008 // Franchising.com // Irvine, Calif., In an effort to raise awareness of global hunger, Taco Bell is again joining forces with Speidi—Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of MTV's hit reality show The Hills. The couple will host the World Hunger "Reality Check Challenge" event for the second straight year.

On October 2, Heidi and Spencer will serve up Taco Bell fare to customers visiting the Taco Bell® restaurant and invite customers to join in the effort to help alleviate world hunger by making a donation. The campaign is part of a larger global hunger-relief campaign by Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands Inc...

July 31, 2008 // Franchising.com // OKLAHOMA CITY, - The hard work of nearly 20,000 Oklahomans has paid off with thousands of free Fresco Crunchy Tacos for Oklahoma City.

As part of its partnership with Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett's OKC Million Challenge, Taco Bell® announced that it will reward Oklahoma City residents with free Fresco Crunchy Tacos on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. Taco Bell's Fresco Menu, offering 9 items with less than 9 grams of fat, became the "Official Menu of the Mayor's Challenge" in April following a unique partnership with the nation's leading Mexican-inspired Quick Service Restaurant and the Mayor.
"We've reached a significant milestone losing 100,000 pounds, and together, we can continue to watch what we eat and exercise regularly to reach our goal of losing 1 million pounds," said Mayor Mick Cornett...