Del Taco Uses a Funny Video and Free Food to Promote its Facebook Page

Del Taco, a Mexican fast food chain with hundreds of stores in more than a dozen states, launched a humorous campaign on Facebook a couple weeks ago targeting young men and debuting spokesmen Wes and Barry. The campaign asks Facebook users to become a fan of Del Taco, then watch a four and a half minute video structured as a sketch comedy show. The 5 minute clip introduces two characters named Wes and Barry in their first episode of “The Del Taco Super Special Show.” After watching the video and becoming a fan, users are asked to vote on their favorite sketch and then receive a coupon for a free classic taco. Currently the page has more than 34,000 fans. Exploding tacos, cartoons, women in bikinis jumping up and down for no apparent reason, a taco sitcom and jokes about flatulence keep the viewer engaged throughout the new pitch -- assuming they're into these things -- in which Wes, a Del Taco employee, transforms into the host of the show, complete with an oddball cast of characters. Although the jokes alluding to parties “crawling with beaver” and Wes’ need for air freshener due to his roommate Barry’s flatulence seem in poor taste, people find them funny. The result is a pretty even mix of male and female fans on the page, from what we can tell. Keeping the viewer entertained creates a captive audience Del Taco uses to criticize Taco Bell (its primary competition), promote its tacos and sauces and encourage viewers to patronize their business, “Those tacos aren’t going to eat themselves — that’s your job,” says Wes at the conclusion of his show. After watching the video and becoming a fan Facebook users are prompted to select their favorite video sketch and allow access to Del Taco’s app before proceeding to their free coupon. Throughout the voting process, users are prompted to share with their friends, this culminates when the coupon is awarded and you’re asked whether you want to publish the promotion to your wall, where it will enter into your newsfeed and reach your network. As of Wednesday there were more than 1,700 votes. The rest of Del Taco’s page is fairly engaging, too. The wall is littered with faithful devotees to Del Taco’s affordable food, the What’s New and Menu tabs include information about the latest deals from the chain, there’s a Locations tab and an invitation to join Del Taco’s e-club where customers receive special offers and a Star Trek Online tab which includes promotions and information about the game from Del Taco. The Page doesn't seem to have grown as quickly as other Pages that offer free feed -- TGI Friday's Woody campaign holds the record, having gained most of its more than 900,000 fans in a month-long burger giveaway. Del Taco's multi-step process for gaining the free taco may be obscuring the otherwise-visceral "free food" message.

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Del Taco Uses a Funny Video and Free Food to Promote its Facebook Page

Sara Inés Calderón

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Sara Inés Calderón