Take a look at popular — and sometimes controversial — uses of the Spanish language in restaurant ad campaigns over the years
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Ron Ruggless
Pizza Patron might be on to something new with its upcoming promotion that encourages customers to speak Spanish, but brands have been using the language in campaigns that target the fast-growing base of Hispanic consumers for some time. Here’s a look at some recent, memorable marketing campaigns that use Spanish, English or a combination of both.
Taco Bell's “Yo Quiero Taco Bell”
This Yum! Brands division made a big thing out of the little Chihuahua’s “I want Taco Bell” slogan from 1997 to 2001. The voice was male but the dog, for most of the run, was a girl named Gidget.
This year, Taco Bell debuted a marketing campaign centered on a new “Live Más” tagline.
Next: Taco Cabana
Taco Cabana’s “Si Food”
The Fiesta Restaurant Group concept, based in San Antonio, Texas, takes a pun and applies it to shrimp for a print campaign, working word play in both English and Spanish. The ad below ran from February 2011 through March 2011.
Next: Pizza Patron
Previous: Taco Bell
Pizza Patron’s “Pizza Por Pesos”
The 104-unit Dallas-based chain, aimed at the Hispanic market, began accepting Mexican paper pesos as well as U.S. dollars in 2007, and it continues to cash in on the program.
READ MORE: Pizza chain’s peso promotion fans flames of immigration debate
Next: Taco Bueno
Previous: Taco Cabana
Taco Bueno’s “It’s More Bueno”
The 190-unit Farmers Branch, Texas-based Mexican operator, which owner Palladium Equity Partners again put on the market in mid-May, has used the “It’s More Bueno” tagline for a good, long time.
Next: Burger King
Previous: Pizza Patron
Burger King’s Salma Hayek Garden Fresh salads ads
The burger chain has this year taken a notable Latin actress and crafted clever — but separate — ads in both English and Spanish.
Next: Denny's
Previous: Taco Bueno
Denny’s “Skillet Whisperer with Cesar Millan”
The family-dining chain went beyond the typical commercial and teamed with the host of “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan,” to film an online video distributed on comedy website FunnyorDie.com. They made two versions of the video: One with a family of English-speaking actors and one in Spanish, recast with Hispanic actors.
Previous: Burger King
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
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