Chipotle's sticking to its advertising roots. The company launched a new animated short Wednesday that hits the "food with integrity" message hard.
In the restaurant chain's new ad, two children with rival juice stands grow up to create rival fast food empires –– with all the stereotypical processed ingredients and shortcuts.
Eventually, the two unite to open a taco stand using only fresh ingredients, a theme very similar to a much darker ad Chipotle released in 2013.
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The messages may be similar, but this time around, Chipotle is having to overcome worries about the safety of its food.
The company's director of brand marketing told The Wall Street Journal this latest commercial was in the works before the E. coli scare began at the end of 2015. Still, he hopes the fresh-ingredient message will help regain consumer trust.
Chipotle's also having to overcome a different scandal. Mark Crumpacker, who's led the brand's messaging to customers following the E. coli outbreak, was linked to a New York City cocaine delivery service.
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The fresh-ingredient message is tried and true for Chipotle, but it's also facing two weak spots this time around.
For one, fast food giants like McDonald's and Taco Bell have been following Chipotle's lead and trying to shed their artificial ingredients.
And because of the E. coli scare, some of Chipotle's food isn't as fresh as before. The company has taken to pre-cooking steak off-site and then shipping it to restaurants to be seared on the grill for customers.
This video includes images from Getty Images and clips from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Chipotle Mexican Grill and ABC. Music provided courtesy of APM Music.
