3 Comedians Get Awkwardly 'Real' Inside a Giant Burrito in Chipotle's Confessional TV Ads

A still-recovering Chipotle has turned to three of the biggest up-and-coming comedy stars to drive its first campaign designed specifically for broadcast TV. The work, which launched today, focuses on "realness" with the help of John Mulaney (The Oh, Hello Show), Jillian Bell (Workaholics, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Sam Richardson (Veep). The three each take a turn inside a supersize burrito as Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor provides a bit of critical advice from the voiceover booth. The empty tortilla doesn't include a therapist's couch, and it's not quite a bar (though it does feature a roaring fire and a calming pianist). It's more like a relaxation room, and things quickly turn awkward in the first spot, "Husband." [kickout id="1"] As it turns out, that wasn't quite "as real as it gets." [kickout id="2"] "In a world full of fakery and half-truths, it’s invigorating to hear a brand tell it like it is," said chief marketing and development officer Mark Crumpacker. "This campaign challenges the conventions of fast-food advertising by being completely real—not only about our food, but about the world we live in—and it does so with an optimism and playful humor that’s very much in line with our brand." "As Real as It Gets" marks the first collaboration between Chipotle and its new creative agency of record, Venables Bell & Partners. The fast-casual chain signed Adweek's 2016 Breakthrough Agency of the Year in large part to help it bounce back after an E. coli scare in late 2015 and attendant stock price spiral from which it has yet to fully recover. The next set of ads stars stand-up comedian and longtime Saturday Night Live writer Mulaney. [kickout id="8"] [kickout id="3"] While the comedians specialize in, you know, comedy, the seemingly gentle burrito room forbids all jokes. [kickout id="4"] Sam Richardson fares no better when subjected to the whims of the disembodied, judgmental voice of the burrito. [kickout id="5"] He does, however, seem to finally realize that he missed his calling as a member of the police department's mounted unit—or, in his own words, "a horse cop." [kickout id="6"] [kickout id="7"] When not distracted by the smooth sounds of Richardson's soulful jazz piano, viewers may notice that the campaign does not mention the single "realest" thing about Chipotle: its ingredients. Previous campaigns like last fall's effort from GSD&M more explicitly highlighted the quality of the chain's avocados, but VB&P is more interested in subverting expectations and scoring unexpected jokes along the way. "We set out to avoid all the conventions of fast-food advertising," said the shop's executive creative director and partner Will McGinness. "Using humor and a commitment to telling it like it is, we cut through the clutter of confusing claims, limited time offers or farmers holding produce and created a campaign that is very true to who they are." MullenLowe Mediahub handled media placement and strategy for the campaign, which also includes radio, digital, social media and out-of-home work like the billboards below. [kickout id="9"] [kickout id="10"] CREDITS Client: Chipotle Mexican Grill Agency: Venables Bell + Partners Founder/Chairman: Paul Venables Executive Creative Director: Will McGinness Creative Director: Tom Scharpf Art Directors: Amanda Younger, Avery Oldfield and Mark Lawson Copywriters: Jimmy Burton, Adam Wolinsky and Eric Boyd Head of Strategy: Michael Davidson Senior Brand Strategist: Jake Bayham Director of Digital Strategy and Analytics: Jeff Burger Group Communication Strategy Director: Gavin Jones Director of Integrated Production: Craig Allen Producer: Gabby Gardner Group Brand Director: Kammie Sulaiman Dascola Brand Manager: Mikaela Kearns Assistant Brand Manager: Ursula Reichle Project Manager: Madi McCallum Director of Business Affairs: Quynh-An Phan Business Affairs/Talent Manager: Yelena Kompaneyets Senior Traffic Manager: Jermelia Holling Assistant Traffic/Business Affairs Manager: Malcolm Konner Production Company: O Positive Director: David Shane Director of Photography: Maryse Alberti Executive Producer: Ralph Laucella Producer: Ken Licata Production Designer: Maia Javan Editorial Company: Arcade Edit Managing Partner: Damian Stevens Executive Producer: Crissy DeSimone Head of Production: Kirsten Thon-Webb Editor: Geoff Hounsell Editor: Nick Rondeau Assistant Editor: Gustavo Roman Assistant Editor: John Gallagher Producer: Alexa Atkin Visual Effects: Timber Creative Directors/Partners: Jonah Hall, Kevin Lau Executive Producer: Sabrina Elizondo Head of Production: Melody Alexander Senior Producer: Tita Poe Associate Producer: Brack Hightchew Lead Flame Artist: Miles Kinghorn Flame Artists: Chris DeCristo, Tim Miller, Chris Homel, Todd Mesher Flame Assist: Austin Lewis Comp Artist: Michael Loney, Jason Forster, Geronimo Moralez Animator: Zach Carnes VFX: Jeff Willette Color: Company 3 Colorist: Dave Hussey Color Producer: Liza Kerlin Final Mix: Lime Studios Audio Mixer: Zac Fisher Audio Assistant: Lisa Mermelstein Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan Music: Human Producer: Kamela Anderson Composers: Gordon Minette, Matthew O’Malley, and Aaron Kotler Creative Leads: Gareth Williams and Craig DeLeon OOH Work Agency Founder/Chairman: Paul Venables Executive Creative Director: Will McGinness Creative Director: Tom Scharpf Design Director: Cris Logan Copywriters: Jimmy Burton, Adam Wolinsky and Sharath Varghese Head of Strategy: Michael Davidson Senior Brand Strategist: Jake Bayham Director Art Production: Jacqueline Fodor Photographer: Maren Caruso (agent: DS Reps) Retouching: Toby Moore, Versatile Studios Retouching/Prepress: Pacific Digital Image Group Brand Director: Kammie Sulaiman Dascola Brand Manager: Mikaela Kearns Project Manager: Jennifer Zhu Digital Agency Founder/Chairman: Paul Venables Executive Creative Director: Will McGinness Creative Director: Tom Scharpf Art Directors: Amanda Younger and Avery Oldfield Copywriters: Jimmy Burton and Adam Wolinsky Design Director: Cris Logan Designer: Nicole Berman Head of Strategy: Michael Davidson Senior Brand Strategist: Jake Bayham Director of Digital Strategy & Analytics: Jeff Burger Senior Digital Producer: Sarah Betts Social Content Producer: Kimberly Lewis Social Content Production Generalist: Alexis Hazelwood Social Content Designer: Paul Rice Social Content Copywriter: Sarah Wagner Group Brand Director: Kammie Sulaiman Dascola Brand Manager: Mikaela Kearns Assistant Brand Manager: Ursula Reichle Project Managers: Madi McCallum and Jennifer Zhu Development and Rollout: Tooth & Joe Mease Creative

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3 Comedians Get Awkwardly 'Real' Inside a Giant Burrito in Chipotle's Confessional TV Ads

John Mulaney, Jillian Bell and Sam Richardson each take a turn

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