IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Doritos® Locos Taco, the Taco Bell menu item that changed the way America thinks about crunchy tacos five years ago, is now changing how people can do good.
Taco Bell is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Doritos® Locos Taco by paying it forward with its Feed a Dream promotion, making it easier than ever to give back. Beginning March 23 and lasting for two weeks, Taco Bell will donate ten cents for each à la carte Doritos® Locos Taco purchased, up to $500,000, to the Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Más Scholarship to fund the passions of young people. Eat a taco, feed a dream – it’s that simple to make a difference.
“We know how much our fans love the Doritos® Locos Taco,” said Brian Niccol, Chief Executive Officer at Taco Bell Corp. and Chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation. “We’re equally passionate about the Live Más Scholarship, which is why we decided to try something new, joining the scholarship with our most successful product for the benefit of today’s young innovators, creators and dreamers. Doing good is as easy as eating your favorite taco.”
More than a fundraiser, the Feed a Dream campaign brings a new approach to Taco Bell’s marketing and advertising, enlisting Live Más Scholarship recipients to create the television commercials and taco packaging and wrap. By leveraging the relationships and creative opportunities a nationwide marketing campaign provides, Taco Bell is not only financially supporting the passions of Live Más Scholarship recipients, but also connecting them with top professionals in their fields of study and putting their passions into practice.
“Beneath all our creativity and irreverence is a company with a beautiful heart,” said Marisa Thalberg, Chief Marketing Officer at Taco Bell Corp. “Now, for the first time ever, we are uniting our products and our purpose of supporting the passions of young people in a really fresh and meaningful way. As we continue to grow the Live Más Scholarship program, our vision is that it becomes ‘for the kids, by the kids.’ In that spirit, all of the communications you will see for this Feed a Dream initiative were either created or inspired by our first class of Live Más Scholarship recipients.”
To create the Feed a Dream campaign, students participated in a creative workshop in Chicago, where they worked side by side with veteran advertising and marketing creatives to develop the campaign’s ad concept and script. Scholarship recipients were also involved in the filming of the ad in California, performing key jobs from behind-the-scenes strategizing and set development to starring roles. Recipients also created three unique designs that will be featured on the Doritos® Locos Taco exclusive taco holster packaging and wrap during the promotion. The 30-second television commercial will air nationally on March 26.
“Not only was I invited to help come up with the Feed a Dream ad, but my artwork is also being used for the Doritos® Locos Taco holsters,” said Devon Woodrum, 22. “When I first applied to the Live Más Scholarship, I never imagined it would mean so much more than the money – I’m getting access to all of these unbelievable opportunities and experiences that are helping me advance my passion and career.”
Taco Bell and the Taco Bell Foundation turned traditional scholarships on their head in 2015 with the launch of the Live Más Scholarship – a scholarship for students whose passions may not necessarily fit into the conventional “academic” or “athletic” scholarship categories. The Feed a Dream campaign is another example of how the Live Más Scholarship defies conventional scholarships by creating unprecedented real world opportunities for recipients, who have participated in a variety of exciting events over the past year, including:
- At the MTV Movie Awards, a scholarship winner and future Hollywood filmmaker worked with social media influencers to create the first ever fan-fueled film.
- During the 2016 VMAs pre-show, a fashion designer outfitted the event staff, a music technology major supported sound engineering and an aspiring photographer captured compelling footage that was featured on MTV.com.
- At the 2017 NBA All-Star Taco Bell Skills Challenge, a photography major joined professionals in his field court-side to snap shots of top NBA champions, a media maven took over the NBA All-Star Twitter handle and a sculptor even designed the trophy that was presented to the Skills Challenge winner.
- During the Feed the Beat® show at the largest music festival in Austin, one music business student served as event manager, while her fellow scholarship winner put his art classes to the test before a crowd as a live muralist.
Taco Bell fans are invited to feed a dream by visiting their local restaurant March 23-April 8, purchasing an à la carte Doritos® Locos Taco, sharing a picture using #FeedADream and encouraging young innovators, creators and dreamers to apply for the Live Más Scholarship. Funds raised from the Feed a Dream promotion will enable the Taco Bell Foundation to award $1.3 million this year to 155 students through scholarships ranging from $5,000-$25,000.
For more about the Live Más Scholarship, including how to apply, check out ta.co here.
About Taco Bell Corp.
Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant (QSR) brand. From breakfast to late night, Taco Bell serves made-to-order and customizable tacos and burritos, among other craveable choices, and is the first QSR to offer American Vegetarian Association-certified menu items. Taco Bell and its more than 350 franchise organizations proudly serve over 42 million customers each week through 7,000 restaurants across the nation, as well as through its mobile, desktop and delivery ordering services. Overseas, Taco Bell has more than 250 restaurants, with plans to add 2,000 restaurants internationally within the next decade. The brand encourages its fans to “Live Más” and connects with them through sports, gaming and new music via its Feed The Beat® music program. Taco Bell also provides educational opportunities and serves the community through support of the Taco Bell® Foundation™ and connects fans with their passions through programs such as the Live Más Scholarship. In 2016, Taco Bell was named one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World.
About Taco Bell Foundation
Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps America’s young people follow their dreams and reach their full potential. Since 1992, the Foundation has helped more than three million youth across the country and has awarded more than $60 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness. In 2017, more than $5 million dollars will be disbursed to 350 youth-serving organizations across the country.
About the Live Más Scholarship
Taco Bell Foundation created the Live Más Scholarship in 2015 for the innovators, creators and dreamers aged 16-24 whose passions may not necessarily fit into the conventional “academic” or “athletic” scholarship categories. The program helps young people pursue their unique passions through post-high school education funding, as well as access to opportunities that advance their careers. In 2016, the Taco Bell Foundation awarded $1.3 million to 270 young adults, including 50 Taco Bell employees. This year the Taco Bell Foundation will award another $1.3 million to 155 people through scholarships ranging from $5,000-$25,000 each. The scholarship application just reopened in February 2017 and the deadline is May 12, 2017. To apply, submit a two-minute video on the website that tells the story of your life’s passion. It could be a short film, animation or just a simple testimonial.
Like: Facebook.com/tacobell – Follow: @TacoBell (Twitter), tacobell (Instagram) and tacobell (Snapchat) – Subscribe: Youtube.com/TacoBell – Explore: ta.co