Taco Bell Malaysia names creative, media and social agencies

Taco Bell Malaysia has solidified its creative, media and social appointments for the year, naming The Chariot Agency as lead creative agency while Invictus Blue and GrowthOps will manage media and social respectively. The creative pitch was called last December and Taco Bell Malaysia's head of marketing and communications, Gitanjali Sriram, said the agency "brought to the table ideas that were different, exciting, even brave, and matched the Taco Bell brand DNA". "We look forward to creating some memorable campaigns together," she added.

Meanwhile, The Chariot Agency's MD, Adrian Cheah, told A+M that the team is excited to work on Taco Bell simply because it is a brand that they have always heard about or only seen on TV. "Now that it is in Malaysia, it is an opportunity for us to work with the client team to introduce a brand that is so well known and at the same time, getting Malaysians to immerse themselves with it through our ideas. Taco Bell believes in creativity. And creativity is what we will be bringing to the table in 2022," he added.

Invictus Blue will be managing all online and offline media planning and booking for Taco Bell in Malaysia. The pitch was carried out last year and the agency was officially onboarded on 1 January 2022. MD David Soo, told A+M that winning Taco Bell was "the perfect closure for [its] 2021 new business ventures". 

"I believe we won the business as we not only provided business-first solutions but the team demonstrated passion for tacos in a novel way that got the clients excited. We certainly are looking forward to work on this fun account and eagerly hope to paint the town purple," he added.

Soo explained that the category is a tough one with the big boys out-spending and out-shouting the team. "As such, we need to be agile and strategic in our media efforts to carve our niche and get noticed. Taco Bell in Malaysia has gained popularity and a huge following amongst Taco lovers already and it will continue to grow. We hope very much to be part of that growth," he added.

At the same time, GrowthOps Asia is responsible for Taco Bell's social and performance media in Malaysia. The agency has been tasked to build Taco Bell Malaysia's brand voice and increase engagement on social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. GrowthOps will also be responsible for underscoring the #ISeeATaco global campaign’s relevance to Malaysians.

According to Taco Bell Malaysia's franchise operator, Harris Beh, in a separate press statement, the agency exhibited a strong degree of digital creativity and performance media experience that matches its ambition for the future of the brand. 

“Today, an integrated communications approach to building a brand is a critical component for business success. It is as important for Taco Bell to grow its digital reputation as it is to offer a superior food experience to our customers," explained Beh. 

GrowthOps Malaysia's general manager, Chris Greenough said the agency was delighted that Taco Bell has entrusted them with building its online visibility and engagement in Malaysia. "They are an iconic brand that has much potential to grow in this market," added Greenough. A+M has reached out to GrowthOps for additional information regarding the appointment. 

The agencies’ first campaign for Taco Bell is already underway, and calls on all Malaysians to raise a taco in celebration this Lunar New Year. Touted as “A Lunar Fiesta For All”, the campaign that hinges on inclusivity is turning the season into one that can be enjoyed by everyone. 

Taco Bell launched its #ISeeATaco global campaign in May last year, enlisting the help of the night sky and the waning crescent moon as its billboard. According to Taco Bell, the moon resembled a taco when it was in the waning crescent phase on 4 May, a shape which the brand affectionally called the "Taco Moon". Done in collaboration with California-based creative agency Deutsch LA, the first activation for Taco Moon "I See A Taco" saw the brand giving out the "most number of tacos it ever has on a single day". 

Last year in December, the global campaign reached Malaysia and called upon Malaysians to hunt for "Taco Bell's tacos" in everything, from well-known landmarks to well-loved sports to everyday objects. Titled the #MacamTacoJeNi campaign, the campaign was part of the brand's marketing strategy of how the #ISEEATACO was launched in different countries. In Malaysia, the campaign was localised by digital marketing agency, Lion and Lion, who also developed the local hashtag #MacamTacoJeNi to make the campaign more relevant locally.

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