Taco Bell has the power to dominate social media, and it's time to compete with Taco Bell.
CMO Taylor Montgomery hires Doja Cat to headline Mexican pizza revival, teams up with LeBron James to fight 'Taco Tuesday' trademark, brings back Volcano menu, and more , is the centerpiece of Taco Bell's biggest campaign yet. Cooperation with Paris Hilton.
The company's marketing streak is hotter than Diablo Sauce, and Montgomery said part of the strategy is showing up as a consumer rather than a brand.
“We want to humbly understand what resonates with consumers on social and determine how our brand can play an authentic role in that space. I'm thinking about it,'' Montgomery said. “It’s important to not make it look like a brand and to hold it to the same standards as other content out there.”
The CMO said the company is fine with “being vulnerable, taking risks, listening and engaging with consumers,” adding, “We also believe that we are cultural rebels. We know that, and it's okay if that doesn't apply to everyone.”
Montgomery will be speaking at ADWEEK's upcoming Social Media Week on Wednesday, April 10, in a session on the evolution of marketing leadership. Ahead of that, Taco Bell's CMO spoke about the company's social media campaign and how it leverages pop cultural moments to keep it authentically spicy.
ADWEEK: Taylor, you worked your way up from senior manager of brand marketing to CMO with Taco Bell. Can you describe your career journey?
Montgomery: It's been a wild and fun journey. I started at Taco Bell as a senior manager of brand marketing, leading product innovation. This gave us a crash course in how our business works, how consumers feel about our brand, and what drives overall business growth. Over time, I was fortunate enough to learn about the brand and other parts of the business, eventually leading brand planning and product innovation in the US. I then had the unexpected but wonderful opportunity to become his CMO for his overseas business. This was very humbling. See how much Taco Bell is loved around the world and the incredible growth opportunities we have. Then, I was fortunate enough to be asked to be his CMO for North America, a role I hold today. Taco Bell expects significant growth in the future.
