Chipotle needed to shift consumer behavior from in-restaurant to online channels, but in 2018 only a small percentage knew they could order online or in app. Our challenge was to drive mass awareness of online ordering and drive downloads of the Chipotle app.
To drive awareness and downloads we took the one thing everyone knows about Chipotle, that "Guac Is Extra", and flipped it on its head.
The week before National Avocado Day we announced that for one day, Guac would not be extra for customers who ordered in app and online.
Then, we let our fans and the press spread the word.
The announcement led to a 500% increase in social chatter and hundreds of press stories. On the day of launch the Chipotle app rose to #1 in the app store.
Then the website crashed.
As consumers panicked over downed digital ordering, we used social to share updates, then used our channels to announce that guac would be free for another day.
Social media users and press outlets immediately shifted their tone, celebrating the quick action and the power of guacamole.
The Chipotle App Was #1 in the App Store on Launch Day
92K+ App Downloads
60% Digital Sales Increase
78K Organic Social Mentions
1.3B Potential Social Impressions
300,000 Pounds of Hand Mashed Guac
