GroundFloor Media Helps Qdoba Bring the Street Food Trend Inside

Challenge

Inspired by “antojitos mexicanos” – Mexican street snacks – during one of his many exploratory culinary trips, Qdoba Mexican Grill’s head chef Ted Stoner began developing and testing Qdoba’s Mini Street Tacos in 2009. Two years later, Qdoba became one of the first fast-casual chains to capitalize on the street food trend with the national launch of Mini Street Tacos. Qdoba tasked GroundFloor Media (GFM) to execute a comprehensive PR campaign for the national launch of its Mini Street Tacos in March 2011. The chief objectives were to generate awareness and drive trials of the street tacos, as well as to highlight them as examples of Qdoba’s healthful menu options and fresh, innovative flavors.

Solution

To publicize the launch of Qdoba’s Mini Street Tacos, GFM developed a two-stage strategy that involved targeting both long- and short-lead media. To reach the long-lead consumer media, GFM executed a five-day national media tour in New York City. Since the Mini Street Tacos were not yet in restaurant, the team rented a fully equipped RV that Chef Ted used to cook fresh taco samples for the media briefings. The GFM team also worked with the local Yelp community manager and food bloggers to organize a VIP Culinary event in Manhattan that allowed Chef Ted and his team to engage with social media influencers. In preparation for the media tour, the team developed backgrounders, menu highlights, bios, coupons, recipe cards and Qdoba-branded promotional items such as cutting boards.

GFM targeted the short-lead media by drafting a press release a month before the launch. Once finalized, the team proactively pitched journalists at national consumer dailies, broadcast media, trade media, wire services, food bloggers, online news outlets and social media influencers. The team also conducted media outreach in several of Qdoba’s key regional markets. Additionally, GFM developed and delivered a recommended list of easily executable PR and social media ideas for Qdoba’s local marketing teams to execute in their own markets, including reaching out to local bloggers and Yelpers, holding VIP launch parties and conducting “surprise-and-delight” activities.

Execution

The team spent a week navigating the streets of Manhattan in a RV serving up Mini Street Tacos to senior editors and reporters at 11 top-tier national publications, including: Fitness, Good Housekeeping, Health, Maxim, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, More; O, the Oprah Magazine; Parents, Shape and Working Mother. Five of these meetings were one-on-ones between Chef Ted and a senior editor, while the other six were catered lunches or happy hours attended by multiple members of the editorial staff.

Result

As a result of the tour, Qdoba was featured in Working Mother, Shape, Fitness, Men’s Fitness and Hombre. The team also hosted a VIP culinary event for 20 bloggers and Elite Yelpers at a local restaurant, which led to four lengthy positive reviews from Elite Yelpers. GFM’s short-lead media relations efforts resulted in coverage in Esquire.com, Huffington Post, Fast Casual, Nation’s Restaurant News, QSR, The Hungry Girl Newsletter, SeriousEats.com, El Restaurante Mexicano, Examiner.com and numerous local media outlets. In total, GFM’s outreach surrounding the national launch of Qdoba’s Mini Street Tacos resulted in more than 38 million media impressions – and one very happy and satisfied client!