Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Inc. has selected Zeno Group of Santa Monica to be its first public relations agency of record.
Zeno Group’s contract calls for raising awareness of the brand through consumer and corporate public relations in English- and Spanish-language markets.
The agency will develop a social media strategy with a focus on promoting El Pollo Loco as a quick-service restaurant offering handcrafted food. It will also oversee crisis management, corporate social responsibility initiatives and grand openings, said Ed Valle, El Pollo Loco’s chief marketing officer.
Zeno Group has its work cut out.
El Pollo Loco in 2011 reported a $38.6 million net loss, and last year it closed 14 restaurants. Its parent company, EPL Intermediate Inc., refinanced its publicly traded bonds with private debt and investments in 2011. The privately run company doesn’t reveal its sales. EPL Intermediate is a subsidiary of El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc. of Irvine.
Sausalito-based Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, the ad shop behind the chain’s Crazy You Can Taste media campaign, will continue as El Pollo Loco’s advertising agency of record. El Pollo Loco’s media-planning and buying business is split between MBMG in Los Angeles and ID Media in West Hollywood.
Its media spending totaled nearly $27 million in 2011, according to The Nielsen Co.
Zeno Group’s clients include Bacardi, Bausch & Lomb, Dreamworks Animation, Lipton, Office Depot, Pizza Hut and Sears. It’s a member of the Daniel J. Edelman Co. of Chicago.
El Pollo Loco operates nearly 400 restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas and Utah.
Taco Bell’s New Ad
Taco Bell Corp. of Irvine has launched First Kiss, a 30-second ad featuring a nervous teenage boy attempting to steal a kiss while his date is immersed in her Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco.
The ad aired for the first time during MTV’s Movie Awards on April 14.
It’s part of Taco Bell’s Live Más campaign, Spanglish for Live More. The campaign replaced the Think Outside the Bun slogan that the company used until last year.
The creative force behind the video is Deutsch LA, whose clients include Target Corp., Snapple, HTC and Anthem Blue Cross. The agency also put together the Taco Bell’s Viva Young ad that aired during this year’s Super Bowl.
Irvine-based Draftfcb is Taco Bell’s official lead advertising agency.
Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc. of Louisville, Ky. and has nearly 6,000 restaurants across the U.S.
“Big City” Sweepstakes
Wienerschnitzel, the Irvine-based hot dog chain, kicked off a consumer-engagement campaign on April 8 by asking its Facebook followers to vote for their favorite hot dog—the Chicago dog, Coney Island dog or L.A. bacon-wrapped street dog.
The winner of the Big City sweepstakes will receive a trip for two to the campaign city of their choice, hotel accommodations for four nights, and $2,000 in spending money.
“Combining delicious food, unique every day value and fun incentives to reward our loyal hot dog-loving fans is what we do best,” said Tom Amberger, vice president of marketing for Wienerschnitzel.
The Big City campaign also includes television and radio ads, email and online marketing, and in-store, point-of-purchase materials.
Alcone, Draftfcb Win Reggie Awards
Irvine-based advertising agencies Alcone and Draftfcb took home two golds each at the 30th annual Reggie Award competition put on by the Brand Activation Association of New York to honor campaigns in the marketing industry.
Alcone, which is part of Diversified Agency Services, was recognized in the experiential marketing category for its skinny-cow ice cream ad for Nestlé Dreyer’s Ice Cream Co.
It was also acknowledged in the international-global promotion category for its Logitech for the Love campaign showcasing Logitech’s ultra-thin keyboard cover.
“We’re thrilled to continue to be recognized by the Brand Activation Association and the Reggie’s for our creativity and business building efforts on behalf of our clients,” said Bill Hahn, the agency’s president and chief executive, in a statement.
Draftfcb won gold in the new product launch promotion category for Taco Bell’s “Doritos Locos Tacos.”
Its Chicago-based counterpart was recognized for “Oreo’s 100th Birthday” in the national consumer campaigns category.
