I’ve been known to laud Chipotle for its innovations in the realm of food prep, but this new video featuring Fiona Apple covering “Pure Imagination” is a reminder that they’re also innovators in marketing.
But first watch it. It’s just great, both on a musical and an animation level. At around 1:37 you’ll see what’s certainly the most poignant moment you’ve ever witnessed in fast food marketing:
The video itself is a promotion not for Chipotle per se but for an iOS game that’s available for free on the app store. This is all part of a larger marketing strategy that depends in part on the idea of essentially never doing television ads. Both the theme of this video—Chipotle’s message that it represents a superior alternative to conventional factory farming—and the lack of television advertising are designed to position the chain as a highbrow and upscale alternative to other quick service restaurants.
Then when a video does come out, it’s high-quality high-impact stuff that really gets attention and is designed to be memorable. And if you ask me, it’s working.
