Some lawyers have a beef with Taco Bell’s beef…and – here’s a surprise – the fast food chain has thanked them for causing trouble.

A class-action suit filed by Montgomery, Ala., law firm Beasley Allen accuses the fast-food giant of false advertising, claiming several of its products are made with “seasoned ground beef” that doesn’t meet the USDA definition of meat. According to the suit, which the Los Angeles Times made public on January 24, Taco Bell’s “taco meat filling” only contains 35 percent meat – that’s less than the 40 percent the USDA requires – with the other 65 percent composed of spices, extenders, water and other add-ins in far greater amount than the USDA allows for ground beef.

Taco Bell’s Response

Rather than shy away from further controversy, Taco Bell went on offense, arguing its beef is better than plain ground beef, which it thinks tastes too boring to be served by a company committed to “thinking outside the bun.” Taco Bell insists its seasoned ground beef consists of 88 percent meat and 12 percent “not-so-secret recipe” – which it provides to consumers.

On January 25, the company took the first of several steps to communicate this message to its consumers. Taco Bell’s Twitter account pushed out a statement from Taco Bell President and Chief Concept Officer Greg Creed, explaining the “facts” presented in the lawsuit were “absolutely wrong.” The same went for Taco Bell’s Facebook page, and the online statement to which consumers were directed was updated with additional details on January 26. The company also announced it would place full-page ads “to share the truth about our seasoned beef” in national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today, as well as execute an outreach campaign to target its Hispanic consumers. The consumer outreach concluded on January 27 when Greg Creed posted a message on Taco Bell’s YouTube channel offering his side of the story.

Why the Response Worked

• Taco Bell utilized a psychologically effective message – “Thank you for suing us” – to counteract the allegations.
• Rather than defending its products from allegations, Taco Bell’s messaging went on the offensive by insisting its seasoned ground beef is actually better than plain ground beef. The company also promised to take legal action against those making false claims against the seasoned beef. This strategy transformed a perceived crisis into an opportunity.
• Taco Bell responded quickly. The company’s point-of-view was included in the Los Angeles Times’ initial report and became increasingly present as details of the controversy developed.
• Taco Bell’s messaging was consistent across platforms – including traditional media, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
• And finally, Taco Bell responded creatively and in good humor.

Close, But No Chalupa

Taco Bell fell short in one aspect of its response campaign: effective use of social media to engage its consumer audience. Although the company responded via its Twitter and Facebook channels only one day after news broke, the response did not resonate with social media audiences; following news of the lawsuit, social media posts regarding Taco Bell’s beef spiked to more than 16,000, but following the launch of the ad campaign response, posts only reached about 6,000. This most likely is a result of social media’s inherent nature, concerned more with providing a shock-factor than setting the record straight. By the time Taco Bell responded to its followers, the story was no longer relevant. Although its message could have remained the same, the company needed a flashier response – by social media standards – for the Twittersphere to once again cry, “Yo Quiero Taco Bell!”

--Emilee Ellison, Assistant Account Executive

Comments

Plainfield Dining

August 8, 2011 2:07 PM I remember this. It drew me to Taco Bell so I guess it worked as a great marketing tool. I am a food lover and always try to find new places to eat. I usually stick to the finer dining places, but I do like a little fast food on occasion too.

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