All aboard the breakfast train! As you may know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and on March 27, Taco Bell has officially launched their own breakfast menu featuring such items as the A.M. Crunchwrap, Waffle Taco and Cinnabon Delights.
Taco Bell has decided to launch their biggest marketing campaign yet by stepping on McDonald’s breakfast territory. According to the NBC News article “Taco Bell Ads Star Real Ronald McDonalds Who Love its New Breakfast,” McDonald’s owns 31 percent of the fast food breakfast market, while Taco Bell’s breakfast sales are at 4%.
McDonald’s has always been the leading contender when it comes to a fast food breakfast menu. Now that Taco Bell has entered the ring, McDonald’s Egg McMuffin might have some competition. Upon Taco Bell’s breakfast menu launch, on March 27th, a commercial also aired and threw some jabs at McDonald’s. The video featured 25 men admitting their love for the new breakfast menu. It just so happens their names are Ronald McDonald. Coincidence? I will let you make that decision.
McDonald’s responded to Taco Bell’s video with this picture on their Twitter and Instagram account:
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. pic.twitter.com/e0dFN1ZCqy
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) March 29, 2014
As far as content marketing goes, McDonald’s has had their fair share of tactical approaches as well. McDonald’s has used their competitor’s insults as an advantage to promote their brand. Since the breakfast wars have started, McDonald’s has demonstrated effective use of social media by promoting a free cup of coffee through Twitter.
Throughout their two week promotion from March 31 to April 13, McDonald’s made sure to utilize their Twitter account to actively engage their followers by retweeting and using the hashtag #mccafe. McDonalds’s has also made sure to post images of celebrities treating themselves to some McCafé coffees.
Job well done to the McDonald’s marketing team for constantly promoting their brand effectively through social media.
From a content marketing perspective, Taco Bell’s campaign is brilliant, which isn’t exactly new for Taco Bell. We’ve seen some of their best social media marketing campaigns directly from Instagram. They have generated a lot of buzz on social media that is getting people’s attention and creating curiosity. According to company president Brian Niccol, the new breakfast menu is intended to “reinvent the traditional taste of breakfast.” Many people who were hesitant about tasting Taco Bell’s breakfast foods have come to the realization that the items are actually pretty good. At lotus823, we even indulged in a few items ourselves. You know we couldn’t help ourselves.
Although Taco Bell has received some backlash from McDonald’s, it doesn’t look like they are going to back down. With their quick and clever marketing, Taco Bell keeps all of us waiting for the next move. The most recent was a commercial to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had A Farm.” No hard feelings McDonald’s. Taco Bell’s marketing team may have won this round, but only time will tell if Taco Bell’s breakfast menu becomes a success or gets swallowed up by the competition.
McDonald’s did not respond to Taco Bell’s latest insult. McDonald’s seems to be focusing more on promoting their Dollar Menu via Twitter. In comparison, both marketing teams have demonstrated effective use of social media to promote their brands. Whether it was through Instagram or Twitter, they both have been engaging with their followers. Both companies are great resources to look at for marketing tips.
Let the breakfast war begin! Tell us which breakfast you prefer! Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco or McDonald’s Egg McMuffin?