Few brands are leveraging the creator economy as effectively as Taco Bell. The company today announced it is seeking customers’ input to curate what sayings will be included on its signature hot sauce packets, which will rollout with a redesign in 2024.
Taco Bell Rewards members will have an exclusive opportunity to vote on the new hot sauce sayings via a fan poll, which is now live and runs through July 23. Each hot sauce packet option – mild, hot, fire, Diablo and breakfast – offers three new sayings from which to choose, and the sayings with the most votes will be announced July 24 and be a part of the redesign rollout.
Taco Bell’s signature sauces were initially introduced in 1962, with red chili and green chili options served in plastic cups. In the 1970s, the brand introduced peel-off lid cups and the sauce packets were introduced in the mid-1980s. Each of the five existing sauces today include their own unique sayings, such as “You’re cute!” and “Current Mood: ____”. The sayings were first introduced in 2004 and have inspired their own merch line.
“Taco Bell is no stranger to giving fans the ability and power to impact our brand,” Taylor Montgomery, U.S. CMO said in a statement. “We recognize the role that these hot sauce packets have played in people's lives. There's no better way to foster brand love than by giving our biggest fans a unique opportunity to leave their own mark on and be a part of Taco Bell history.”
This isn’t the first time Taco Bell has turned to its fans to help curate some of its business decisions. The company solicited fans vote for menu item appearances last fall and this spring, for instance. The fall competition between the Enchirito and the Double Decker Taco garnered more than 765,000 votes, with the Enchirito emerging victorious.
Taco Bell also brought back its Volcano Menu and its Mexican Pizza after fans asked for their return via petitions and social media. The Mexican Pizza helped drive an 11% same-store sales increase in Q4.
The following sayings are in the running for the 2024 sauce redesign:
Mild:
- What’s your @
- All love here.
- Great, good, okay.
Hot:
- It’s a secret.
- Why not?
- First things first.
Fire:
- On the count of three.
- Don’t think, just do.
- Entering my ___ era.
Diablo:
- Yes, and…
- If you won’t, I will.
- Immediately, No.
Breakfast:
- Morning person.
- I support it.
- Rooting for you.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]