Chipotle’s ‘Scarecrow’ Campaign: Leveraging ICT for Communicating Sustainability

Abstract

This case is about the ‘Scarecrow’ advertising campaign launched by Chipotle Mexican Grill in September 2013. The Mexican fast-food chain was credited with effectively leveraging Information and Communications Technology to communicate its brand ethos as well as its sustainable practices. The social media marketing campaign consisted of a short animated film released online (only on YouTube) and an advergame for smartphones featuring an anthropomorphized Scarecrow working for an industrial food producer.

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Issues

The case is structured to achieve the following teaching objectives:

• Understand how Information and Communication Technology can be leveraged for communicating sustainability.
• Understand the importance of social media in the advertising strategy of firms.
• Analyze the reasons for the success of the ‘Scarecrow’ campaign.
• Understand the pros and cons of using social media channels vis-à-vis the traditional communication channels.
• Discuss the issues and challenges in communicating sustainability.
• Discuss and debate the criticism that was leveled against the Scarecrow campaign.
• Suggest the future strategies that need to be followed by Chipotle to leverage on the success of the Scarecrow campaign.

Keywords

Information and Communication Technology; Social media marketing; Viral Marketing; Marketing Communications; Digital marketing strategies; Promotional campaign; Brand messaging; Communicating sustainability; Advertising campaign; Social media channels; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube; Analysis of Twitter Conversations; Webisodes; Advergame; Value proposition; Sustainable farming; Ethics;

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