Taco Bell® Poll Shows Californians Are Hungry For Schwarzenegger, Bustamante
Only in America (and, more specifically, California) could one vote for an Austrian gubernatorial candidate by purchasing a taco from a chain famous for producing truly bastardized Mexican food. Who says this isn't the greatest country in the world??
Irvine, Calif., August 26, 2003 -Taco Bell Corp. announces the first installment of its Taco Poll results with former frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger leading with 54 percent of votes with his crunchy beef taco. The Grilled Stuft Burrito holds a strong second on the menu with 43 percent of votes for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante and the remaining 133 candidates; followed by Governor Gray Davis, represented by a chicken soft taco, with three percent. After overwhelming response from consumers to include Cruz in the Company’s in-store gubernatorial Taco Poll and strong support from national poll results, Taco Bell also announced Californians can now take a big bite out of Bustamante … as a Chalupa.
Beginning last Thursday, consumers could visit more than 1,000 California restaurants to “put their vote where their mouth is” for their favorite gubernatorial candidate. Californians “bought votes” simply by purchasing selected Taco Bell menu items. A crunchy beef taco counts as one vote for Schwarzenegger, a soft chicken taco counts as a vote for not recalling Davis and any Grilled Stuft Burrito shows support for any of the other candidates. Now, starting today, consumers who want show support for Bustamante can choose the Chalupa.
“Californians are asking for Bustamante and we’re delivering him - as a Chalupa,” said Greg Creed, chief marketing officer, Taco Bell Corp. “We are very pleased with the Taco Poll voter turn out and we hope this level of participation carries through to the upcoming election.”
I was a bit put off by this whole concept at first, but then I realized it makes perfect sense. Think about it- politicians and really, really bad Mexican food: both are capable of producing vast quantities of painful gas. Truly, this is American marketing genius at it's pinnacle.
Of course, if Taco Bell were really serious about this, they'd offer to host the voting booths on Election Day. Just think of the possibilities!! Exercise your civic responsibility, get gas!! It's a marketing department's collective wet dream, no??
