El Pollo Loco's VP of Digital Takes the Brand to New Heights

Who said chickens couldn’t fly? With a background ranging from naming a global Ford concept vehicle to launching the original McDonald’s mobile app, Andrew Rebhun is now transforming El Pollo Loco’s digital strategy as their vice president of digital. The restaurant from Sinaloa to Alvarado Street introduced Air Loco, a new drone-delivery service that is reaching new heights in southern California. Discover how Andrew’s innovative mindset has led their restaurant’s food to reach new heights, how artificial intelligence can change the structure of loyalty programs and why GoFundMe CMO Musa Tariq is a constant source of advice for him. How did you get to where you are today? Any noteworthy aha-moments along the way? I had a passion for shaping the way people experienced a brand or product. Starting with Ford Motor Company during one of the darkest periods for the automotive industry helped me grow up in corporate America quickly. Learning the fundamentals of One Team-One Plan-One Goal developed a leadership philosophy I’ve carried throughout my career. A car is the second biggest purchase anyone will make in their life, but I wanted to be a better marketer at a lower-barrier price point, thus the transition from Mustangs to McNuggets. In 2015, I had an opportunity to be one of the first ten employees on McDonald’s Digital Team. I am grateful to Julia Vander Ploeg, currently global head of digital and technology at Hyatt, for that opportunity early in my career, which then opened the opportunity to lead the digital transformation at El Pollo Loco. One of my best bosses and mentor, Greg Watson, encouraged me to get my MBA from Kellogg School of Management (’19). All 56 members of my cohort (115 crew!) and others from around the world changed my life forever. I must recognize my current boss, CEO Bernard Acoca, has enabled the ability to place little bets, iterate quickly and overhaul the way we go to market with digital despite the unprecedented challenges Covid brought to the restaurant industry. What's the most innovative thing you're currently working on? El Pollo Loco recently announced the launch of Air Loco. We are the first national restaurant chain to launch a door-to-backyard delivery service. As of today, the drone travels up to two miles at a speed of 32 mph while carrying close to seven pounds of food. We launched this service to select members of our Loco Rewards Loyalty Program in southern California, with more locations scheduled to launch soon. Not only does this provide a unique consumer experience but it allows us to deliver with greater operational efficiency and cost advantages. https://twitter.com/ElPolloLoco/status/1413543827600674818 What new or up-and-coming innovation(s) are you most excited about and how do you think it will change the future of marketing? Artificial intelligence is continuing to get utilized more in plenty of industries. Our brand has used it for roughly nine months now and I’m extremely encouraged with the progress. As AI technology scales and become affordable to more brands, it’ll change the dynamic of personalized marketing and the cost structure of loyalty programs of the future. What’s one piece of work from your career that you’re the proudest of? While I’ve been fortunate to work on some incredible campaigns and projects throughout my career, I’m proudest of seeing previous team members of mine and those I mentor thrive in their own careers. I enjoy asking tough questions and giving people the courage to look at their careers through a different lens. Was there ever a time where you questioned your career path? How did you handle that? I am grateful for the mentors and personal board of directors who have helped ask great questions to help get me where I am today. I moved seven times in a period of 10 years, living all over the US, meeting incredible people and learning so many different aspects of the business. I felt that all the moves helped me get closer to my north star. While there were times I was exhausted from traveling, I made sure to maintain a balance and do the things I enjoyed: running, catching the Dodger games, and exploring restaurants. What is one skill that you think is currently underdeveloped in marketing? The broader discipline of digital marketing is underdeveloped. When I took marketing classes in college, social media, eCommerce, digital ad buying, and e-mail/CRM were just starting to gain traction. In the first 10 years of the century, marketers had to learn via on-the-job experience. There was minimal case study and textbook information. Many industries are starving for digital talent and it will become a mandatory skillset to possess for certain marketing career paths of the future. As Taco Bell Brings Back Potatoes, a Plant-Based Partnership With Beyond Is in the Works How do you pick and develop the talent on your team? I look for people who are intellectually curious, passionate about their craft, utilize data to inform decisions and hold themselves accountable for results. I am trying to attract talent that’s not necessarily native to the industry because it enables a diversity of perspectives in an organization. I like to encourage people to network with individuals within and outside the industry who have similar types of job responsibilities so they can leverage new ways of thinking. I like to develop people beyond their specialty so they can constantly learn and treat the business like an owner. What's a way that you predict marketing will change as more people begin traveling/going out again? Experiential marketing and unique brand experiences will pick up again. Brands that can build an emotional connection with the consumer with an omnichannel approach will come out ahead. Many brands have taken their advertising hands-free as the QR Code has come back: from voting for your favorite MLB Allstar during a baseball game to scanning a TV commercial or incorporating a call to action to download a mobile app. The QR code and augmented/virtual reality will continue to be a more integral part of brand experiences post-pandemic. What’s the first post to come to mind when you hear 'best-in-class social'? #SpotifyWrapped campaign. I’m a big fan of interpreting data and understanding user consumption. Spotify turned listening data into a user-generated content campaign, sparking people’s curiosity about what their friends and family were listening to, how often they were listening, and what drove people to the app/website. Also, a great way to build a new playlist! What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? You bring the weather. When it comes to leading your own team or being a part of a cross-functional group, it’s imperative to try to bring your best self every day. People work long hours; you never know what is going on away from the office. You want to be the one who gets the team excited to be there and create an environment for people to thrive.There are 168 hours in a week. Combine purpose and satisfaction in your values and challenge the way time is spent. I continuously challenge myself to maximize the 168 hours personally and professionally—Harry Kraemer, Kellogg School of Management.I was grateful to connect with Musa Tariq, GoFundMe CMO, in last year’s Adweek Executive Mentor Program and he constantly serves as a source of advice. He always reminds me to do something I love and inspires me to give back! What one question would you ask the marketing community and why? How will you personally set aside the time to challenge, grow, inspire, and mentor the next generation of digital and marketing talent. Airbnb's Musa Tariq on Finding Your Personal North Star

Innovators

El Pollo Loco's VP of Digital Takes The Brand (And Its Food) To New Heights

Andrew Rebhun keeps innovation at the heart of unique customer experience

Julian Gamboa

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Julian Gamboa