Taco Bell Uses Music To Heat Up TV Ads
Songtradr data reveals how the brand uses a melodic blend of genres and artists to resonate with youthful audiences
The menu is not the only thing hot at Taco Bell, as anyone who’s seen its TV ads can attest.
While Taco Bell is synonymous with its iconic sonic logo (the “bong” sound) in ads, the brand also utilizes a variety of upbeat songs in many of its spots, each of which features its own unique song depending on the product being advertised. That effort has recently expanded from primarily rock music, to include other genres as well.
Using data from Songtradr, we can examine what these song choices have in common – despite genre differences – as well as how each helps weave a complete brand narrative for Taco Bell relative to its intended audience.
Bludnymph – “FEAST”
Taco Bell’s most-seen ad of 2023 (according to TV ad impressions data from iSpot) has been its double steak grilled cheese burrito spot featuring the song “FEAST” from singer and social media star Bludnymph. Though the track was first released in late 2021, it rose to greater prominence after being utilized in an episode of Netflix “Heartbreak High” last fall. The rap single got another shot of life in March 2023 when the Taco Bell spot was released, fueling increased use in TikTok videos (nearly 25K since the ad debuted, according to Songtradr).
Relative popularity on TikTok is a big part of why the song/ad combination works for Taco Bell here. Taco Bell uses a song from an artist who is endemic to social media to appeal to younger audiences, while still adhering to the music characteristics of its larger brand goals. “FEAST” scores an 84 (out of 100) for danceability and 61 (out of 100) for energy.
Limited use of the song elsewhere also lets the brand carve out a unique association with both the song and artist (who has also pushed the ad herself on social media).
Meet Me @ The Altar: “Say It (To My Face)”
Meet Me @ The Altar helps Taco Bell accomplish similar goals, as the pop-punk group’s “Say It (To My Face)” connects to younger consumers and hits similar levels of energy (90 out of 100) and danceability (51 out of 100). The song paces the rapid-fire $2 grilled chicken burrito ad, quickly showcasing what goes into the product and then, young customers enjoying some of their own.
The brand has also benefited from catching the song (and artist) on the upswing. Taco Bell featured “Say It (To My Face)” in advertising on Dec. 25, 2022. And less than a month later, the band was playing it live during The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Brands like Taco Bell – and many more – can try to time music with similar leaps in notoriety, by understanding songs that are popular on Spotify, TikTok and other platforms before they fully break out.
White Reaper – “Getting Into Trouble W/The Boss”
On that note, Taco Bell makes an even earlier bet with rock band White Reaper and the song “Getting Into Trouble W/The Boss.” The brand used the song in an ad for its $5 Cravings Box just six months after its release, giving the spot a summery, upbeat feel that ties directly to its release time (late June). While the song hasn’t hit the zeitgeist just yet, Songtradr data shows a clear uptick in Spotify streams for the track around the time of the ad’s debut, virtually doubling in a short stretch.
Want to learn more about how brands can effectively use music to connect with the right audiences? Get in touch with Songtradr today.
