Business & Tech

Which Fast Food Chain Produced this Video?

This company takes a unique approach to advertising to gain customers and encourage discussion without using their name. We will give you a hint... there is one in Dublin.

By Autumn Johnson

The line usually starts each day just about ten minutes before 11 a.m. in front of the Chipotle Mexican Grill in Dublin. That line, and the continuous flow of customers during the day, is indicative of the growing popularity of the fast food chain striving to set itself apart from other fast food chains with not only the kind of food it serves, but also with the way it advertises.


The eerie new advertisement created by Chipotle, called "The Scarecrow," harnesses the combination of animation and Fiona Apple's version of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory released in 1971.

The ad has gone viral with almost five million views since it was posted on YouTube on Sept. 11. Even more interesting about the advertisement is that it does not show the word "Chipotle" at all. The ad is being run in tandem with the phone app released by the company.

The purpose behind the innovative approach to advertising is to rally customers to take action and demand that food comes from sustainable sources while also eating meat from animals raised in humane conditions. The company's mission statement says it wants "to change the way people think about and eat fast food" and in an effort to do so, serves menu items made from locally grown produce and meats that come from sources that "raise meat responsibly."

The Scarecrow Game website invites viewers to "Join Chipotle and the Scarecrow on a journey to bring real food back to the people.  Play the game, watch the animated short film, and find out how to take action."  
Patch wants to know what you think about the video and whether or not it impacts your decisions about where to eat when choosing a fast food restaurant. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.


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