IRVINE, Calif., July 31, 2012 – Today, Taco Bell® announced its 2012 Feed the Beat® roster, which includes 100 up-and-coming artists from across the United States who will receive $500 in Taco Bell gift cards to keep their hunger satisfied on the road. The new lineup marks the most diverse Feed the Beat group yet – ranging from rock bands, to DJs to country artists – some of whom will be given the unique opportunity to be a part of the brand’s ground-breaking marketing campaigns.
“I've been a lover of all things Taco Bell for a LONG time, so having them support us through Feed the Beat has been a pleasure and a privilege,” said Neon Trees drummer and percussionist, Elaine Bradley. “It's fun to travel across the country and find the very best Taco Bell restaurants. Shout out to my favorite so far on S. Perkins Rd in Memphis, Tenn.!”
Taco Bell’s footprint continues to grow within the music industry from its ongoing support of Feed the Beat artists on tour, to activations at some of the most notable music festivals, to leveraging its partnership with MTV. In 2011, Taco Bell featured Feed the Beat alumnus Chiddy Bang for the first time in a national commercial, introducing millions of fans to “The Good Life.” As a result, Taco Bell advertisements continue to incorporate music from Feed the Beat artists. This year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s “Morning Thought” was featured in a commercial for Doritos® Locos Tacos, titled Nacho Superstar, Palenke Soultribe’s “Te Veo” set the tone for the current Cantina Bell™ Menu ad, and “5, 6, 7, 8” by Fake Problems was used in another national commercial, Pockets, which helped launch the new Taco Bell brand campaign, Live Más.
“It doesn’t get much better than FourthMeal and great music,” said, Brian Niccol, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “We encourage our consumers to discover innovative tastes and music, and we hope that our support of these artists can help them achieve their dreams and Live Más.”
The first chance to catch a few of the 2012 Feed the Beat artists on tour will be at this week’s Conflict of Interest show in Chicago. The show will feature new Feed the Beat artists Fidlar, Royal Teeth and Ambassadors. Just like the artists, fans at this concert get to enjoy free Taco Bell as FourthMeal items are handed out, including the wildly popular Doritos Locos Tacos. Fans across the nation can receive all the latest news and music updates on Feed the Beat artists by following @FeedtheBeat on Twitter and liking Facebook.com/FeedtheBeat.
Feed the Beat has supported nearly 600 artists since its inception in 2005. Below is a list of all 100 artists in Taco Bell’s 2012 Feed the Beat lineup.
View Original for Full Data Table
Feed the Beat began as an organic effort to help feed up-and-coming artists on tour by giving them Taco Bell gift cards. The program continues with the same organic roots, still giving Feed the Beat artists Taco Bell gift cards, but has since expanded to leverage the brand’s relationships with network partners, sponsorships and MTV, as well as provide support through Taco Bell’s strong online presence – a crowd of nearly nine million fans. With Feed the Beat’s expansion to various genres of music, there is an artist and sound for nearly everyone to enjoy.More on Taco Bell's Feed the Beat Program
Artists from across the country applied for the Feed the Beat program by filling out an online submission form on www.feedthebeat.com. To be eligible, artists needed to have a dedicated fan base, be on tour during the fall and have a dedicated Web page. The submission also gave artists the opportunity to express their hunger for Taco Bell and share their own stories about eating FourthMeal while touring. A panel of judges selected Feed the Beat artists based on performance and musicianship, originality and material selection, in addition to overall appeal and personality.
Fans and interested artists can head to www.feedthebeat.com for more information and to find more about the full list of 2012 Feed the Beat artists and alumni, as well as follow along with their involvement in the program on Twitter @FeedtheBeat. Previous Feed the Beat artists include: Andrew W.K., Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, Best Coast, Walk The Moon, Fun., Young The Giant, Portugal. The Man, Wavves, Dr. Dog and more.
Taco Bell Corp. ("Taco Bell"), a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, nachos, and other specialty items. Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.
Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM), is a Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant.