Hasta La Creative!

In a unique bit brand warfare which really isn’t brand warfare at all, Taco Bell is out with a Deutsch LA-created campaign that features Ronald McDonald. No, not that Ronald McDonald but 25 actual people whose names are Ronald McDonald and who are more than willing to profess their love for Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu.

The 25 Ronalds in “Wake Up, Live Más” are real people, found by talent agencies that specialize in non-actors for things like reality shows. The agencies combed through social media, including Facebook and LinkedIn, to find our stars. Some of the Ronalds, who’ve been teased about their names their whole lives, thought it was a prank call.

It’s a unique approach. One that allows Taco Bell to directly, yet indirectly, use a competing brand to tout its own offerings.

Of the approach, Deutsch LA CEO Mike Sheldon said,”The advertising had to have a scale that befitted the challenge of launching an entirely new day-part for Taco Bell. Something that had food and price wasn’t enough. It had to be something that caused a cultural conversation about what we eat for breakfast.”