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Taco Bell expands Instagram efforts for Cantina Double Steak Quesadilla launch

Taco Bell is ramping up its mobile and social efforts with a new event that lets consumers be a photographer and capture photos of its new Cantina Double Steak Quesadilla meal.

On July 2 in Los Angles, Taco Bell is hosting a private event that promotes its new product. The fast food giant has used Instagram before to drive brand awareness.

"When we got to this campaign, this product is visual and sells itself," said Nick Tran, social media lead at Taco Bell, Irvine, CA. "Our goal was to highlight that.

"We want to be where our fans are and we want to embrace where our fans participate in social," he said.

Social celebration
Some of the most-followed Instagrammers in the food space will attend the event and capture the latest product to hit the Taco Bell menu, as well as share their experience with fans.

The images captured by Instagrammers will also be shared through Taco Bell marketing. The company sees this as a great opportunity to engage with its community in a genuine manner by showcasing the authenticity of the product via real consumer photos versus corporate product images. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring their mobile devices with them to the event. Tools such as different lenses to attach to iPhones, tripods for phones and other ways to capture photos in a creative way will be available on-site.

Past efforts
Taco Bell is no stranger to mobile.

Last year, the company continued to rely on mobile and social as the marketing muscle behind its line of Doritos Locos Tacos with an Instagram campaign that let users win prizes by snapping pictures of their favorite meals (see story).

Most recently, Taco Bell leveraged Instagram to promote its foundation efforts and partnership with Get Schooled.

Teens were encouraged to participate in the ?Yearbook Time. Upload Yourself into Times Square? program by using Instagram. By using Instagram, both Taco bell and Get Schooled were able to interact with teens on a social level (see story).

"We see more consumers interact with their smartphones and there's a lot of opportunity with mobile," Mr. Tran said.