Taco Bell anime-style ad: Deutsch L.A. has created a compelling cinematic preview for Fries Fries
The anime-themed video continues Taco Bell’s long-running series of Nacho Fries movie trailers.
Brief description:
- Taco Bell created an anime-inspired ad and digital comic strip inspired by the Japanese manga format to promote the return of Nacho Fries, according to details obtained by email from Marketing Dive.
- The brand’s Live Más Productions division has promoted limited-edition menu items for several years, running campaigns that mimic Hollywood blockbusters, accompanied by breathtaking star trailers. This year, the network’s narrative centers on a cartoon character named Rey, leader of a team of “Fry Force” pilots who control giant humanoid robots in a battle against spice-loving monsters.
- The video, which chronicles Rey’s quest to save her brother and save Nacho Fry’s potatoes, will premiere July 23, one day after it reappears in stores nationwide. By bringing the popular dish back to the menu for the seventh time in four years, Taco Bell seems to be targeting a more niche fan community than in the past.
Immersion in the essence:
- Taco Bell introduced Nacho Fries in 2018 and has often promoted the return of the limited-edition dish – the most successful product launch in company history – using Hollywood iconography and stars like James Marsden, Josh Duhamel and “Stranger Things” actor Joe Keery. The latest iteration of the concept shifts attention to manga and anime, with obvious nods to the popular mecha and kaiju genres and franchises like Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion. This summer, Taco Bell is also promoting a new version of Loaded Taco, Nacho Fries with cheese sauce, sour cream and beef filling.
- The richer content game may resonate with fans, who are closely following the brand’s actions and have turned Nacho Fries into a long-awaited, cult favorite similar to McRib. The Mexican fast-food restaurant chain concludes the “Fry Force” narrative with a digital comic that sets the stage for the return of Nacho Fries and leads into a commercial in which protagonist Rey tries to save her brother from evil giant monsters.
- Other marketers have tried to capitalize on the growing interest in manga and anime in the U.S. In 2019, Taco Bell’s sister brand, KFC, released a dating video game in which players could woo a version of Colonel Sanders’ anime-inspired mascot. Procter & Gamble’s SK-II skincare line last year released a branded animated series in which Olympic athletes, including Simone Biles, overcame various challenges in epic sci-fi and fantasy stories.
- Sales of manga in the U.S. have surged during the pandemic, and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are showing an increase in the popularity of anime shows, which are often adapted from comic books. Last December, Sony-owned Funimation acquired streaming anime platform Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion, though the deal has since been subject to antitrust scrutiny.
