The Bell Hotel
Fast Food Industry
Taco Bell
May 2019
Palm Springs, CA, USA
Opportunity
The fast-food industry has continuously pushed the boundary for innovative and outrageous activations. This activation had really no specific opportunity they wanted to capitalize on. They didn’t have a new product, no expansion, they simply wanted to create massive buzz for the company and to treat their brand loyalists to a fun and crazy time centered around Taco Bell. Whether people hated the idea or loved it, this activation would get them to talk about it.
Solution
“The Bell” hotel was a pop-up hotel opened for 4 days in Palm Springs. Guests and influencers were treated to outrageous Taco-Bell themed amenities that were as fun, colorful, and flavorful as the brand.
Activation Breakdown
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Partnership with an existing hotel in Palm Springs to transform rooms for their guests and influencers.
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The following amenities for the guests and influencers:
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Free Taco Bell available at any time.
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Happy hour Taco-Bell themed food.
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Taco Bell decor in the rooms.
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Yoga with a hot sauce themed matt.
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Taco Bell bikes.
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A “Taco Shop” where guests could purchase Taco Bell merch.
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Nightly concerts utilizing partnerships with Wallows, FLETCHER, Whethan, and Tate Tucker.
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A Baja Blast inspired cooling lounge.
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Hot-sauce layered synchronized swimmers performing in the pool.
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Taco Bell themed spa services.
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Partnerships with influencers that only cost Taco Bell the price of the room.
Results
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Massive media buzz across all channels which caused the hotel to be fully booked in two minutes of launch.
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“99.9% of the social media influencers and reporters posted glowingly (and funny) viral videos and/ or wrote the exact story Taco Bell wanted to be told.”1
Takeaway
This activation was high-risk high-reward. Inviting influencers and reporters, and creating a live-in experience for consumers is filled with opportunities for negative reviews. Taco Bell took the time, money, and care into creating an outrageous and fun experience for all patrons and represent the Taco Bell name as one who cares about consumers and fun. They wanted their brand to be talked about, and something outrageous and risky was the exact solution.
In Action
1 Stutts, P. (2019 September 6). Why Taco Bell’s Pop-Up Hotel Was a Brilliant Marketing Play. Medium. https://medium.com/better-marketing/what-went-down-at-the-taco-bell-hotel-cd136d4129c7