“Every touch point is considered,” explains Stephanie Perdue, Taco Bell’s senior director of marketing,

“from the posters in the restaurants down to the packaging, and all of the different media channels.” Stephanie is describing the integrated marketing communications (IMC)

approach used by Taco Bell, the nation’s leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant. IMC is one of the key factors that has contributed to the extraordinary success of the food chain, which serves more than 36 million customers each week!

THE COMPANY The story behind Taco Bell and its success is fascinating.

After World War II, a young marine named Glen Bell returned to his home state of California with an entrepreneurial spirit and an observation that people were hungry for fast, good food. He opened his first restaurant, Bell’s Burgers, based on the simple concept that customers might want to walk up and get their food from a service window. Not far away, two brothers named McDonald were operating their new restaurant using a “drive-in” concept. For several years, Bell and the McDonald brothers enjoyed friendly competition as pioneers of the growing fastfood industry. However, when the burger restaurant market became crowded with competitors, Bell decided to try something new—tacos!
Tacos were new to most Americans so Bell experimented with many concepts. First he developed a crunchy taco shell and opened a restaurant called Taco Tia. His marketing activities consisted of handing out sombreros and having Mariachis play outside the restaurant. Next, Bell started another restaurant, El Taco, with a group of celebrity partners. Finally, after a friend suggested that Glen should use his name in his business, the first Taco Bell was opened in Downey, California.
Taco Bell grew quickly and as Bell began opening additional locations he decided that the restaurants should resemble the appearance of California’s historic missions. With the help of an architect he created an inviting design based on an adobe-like exterior with a red clay-tile roof. The name and logo utilized a mission-style bell, a version of which is still in use today. Through franchises and additional corporate locations Taco Bell soon reached from coast to coast.
Today Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, which also owns and operates KFC, Pizza Hut, and WingStreet. Taco Bell now has more than 6,500 locations and $1.5 billion in sales. Many locations are co-
branded with KFC, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver’s stores. Taco Bell also operates Taco Bell Express locations in convenience stores, truck stops, shopping malls, and airports.

Questions 1 What factors contributed to Taco Bell’s early success?
2 Which of the promotional elements described in Figure 15–2 were used by Taco Bell in its Doritos Locos Tacos campaign?
3 How does Taco Bell ensure the continued success of the food chain?