Taco Bell's Marketers Are Geniuses

Marketers today are typically desperate idiots. But the people at Taco Bell have done a fantastic job over the years of tying in to the World Series. They have done it again this year with their "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion.

There has been at least one stolen base in every World Series since 1990, so it's a pretty safe bet that there was going to be one in 2007. But more importantly is the buzz that this created both on the field and in the broadcast booth. The Fox commentators kept mentioning the promotion and giving the audience updates on whether a base has been stolen yet or not. The network recorded conversations between players in the bullpen in which they discuss the possibility of everybody in America getting a free taco if only someone steals a base. The CEO of Taco Bell was interviewed as he watched Game 2 from the stands in Boston. It's estimated that the value of this additional publicity was something like $4 million. Hey, that pays for a LOT of tacos.

The idiot, fearful, ineffective marketers out there are saying, "How can they afford this?" "This is nuts...what if everyone in America takes advantage of their offer." Panic! Panic! Panic!

But this is where the genius of Taco Bell's marketers comes into play. First of all, they are restricting the hours during which a free taco is available. It's not their peak lunch or dinner hours. Next, a single taco is not a full meal for most people. Sure some people will stop in for just the free taco, but the majority will buy something else and probably a drink too. Nice profit margin on those beverages, you know.

But the real value is in getting people who might otherwise never stop into a Taco Bell or try their food to maybe, just maybe, become a regular customer. After all, as most good marketers know (not the idiots who would never try anything as bold as this) traffic is the key to almost any business's success. Get 'em in the door. Get 'em to try your product. That's 90% of the battle, and Taco Bell is going to benefit tremendously from this entire endeavor.