For some, coffee is the only form of breakfast. For others, pancakes and a side of bacon is their chosen way to start the day. At Taco Bell, breakfast has included some unusual creations—naked egg and waffle tacos, for example—and for that, it’s feeling a little remorseful.
In an attempt to shake up the breakfast scene, Taco Bell joins forces with comedian Pete Davidson to convey the brand’s apology for past breakfast antics and pledging to tone things down. Although known for being one of the go-to spots for late-night snacking, Taco Bell is determined to make the morning crowd crave its latest A.M. item: the Breakfast Crunchwrap.
As part of the apology, the brand collaborated with agency Deutsch LA to release two 30-second spots featuring Davidson. In “The Apology,” Davidson admits Taco Bell went a bit crazy with breakfast and suggests a simpler approach to breakfast—before realizing the Breakfast Crunchwrap is the answer. The next spot, “The Bell Breakfast,” features Davidson dreaming of the ideal breakfast before waking up inside a Taco Bell.
Continuing the apology tour, the brand is transforming three restaurants across the U.S. to immerse fans into a breakfast experience. These limited-time pop-ups will take place Oct. 20-23 in Las Vegas, Chicago and New York City, and will be offering the Bell Breakfasts all day.
“At Taco Bell, we’re always looking at shifts in consumer behaviors and identifying ways to optimize our menu to match their cravings. This pivot in our breakfast strategy aligns with consumers’ morning mentality by turning up our focus on ease and familiarity,” Sean Tresvant, global chief brand officer, said in a statement. “This campaign and our partnership with Pete Davidson truly demonstrate our authentic approach to breakfast.”
The Davidson Way
Taco Bell joins the growing list of brands like H&M, Manscaped and Hellmann’s that have tapped the comedian to add his sense of humor and notable presence with Gen Z fans. For Taco Bell, as it aims to jump into the breakfast market, the brand leaned into apology culture with Davidson’s humorous twist to relate to consumers’ need for simple food in the morning.
“I like to think I might be the muse behind the phrase ‘Live Más,’ which is probably why they brought me on to apologize for their maybe-too-extreme innovations in the mornings,” Davidson said in a statement. “Taco Bell got too caught up with today’s hustle and forgot people like to ease into their morning with tasty, simple food.”
