Chipotle Parlays Loyalty Into Marketing With ‘Creator Class’

When it comes to social commerce, Chipotle is turning to those who know the space best: influencers. The brand announced on Thursday (Sept. 9) that it is launching its first “Creator Class,” a group of 15 TikTokers who will participate in a series of brainstorming sessions to help shape the brand’s social strategy. The group includes 14 established influencers, all with at least one million followers, as well as an open slot to be filled by a contest winner.

With the promise of perks such as 50 free meals and priority consideration for paid marketing opportunities, the brand is incentivizing TikTokers to share videos expressing their enthusiasm for the brand. The news release states that the goal of this initiative is to “redefine the traditionally transactional relationship between creators and brands” by inviting creators to influence the brand’s future.

With the contest aspect, this move acts as a sort of next-level loyalty play. Through the loyalty app, consumers can get rewarded with free foods for making frequent purchases. Through this contest, they can get rewarded with free food and exclusive access for promoting the brand to their followers.

The Context

Chipotle has been driving its loyalty offerings hard, revamping them to stand out against the many rewards programs on the market. The company’s loyalty app helped generate over $2 billion in digital sales this year, and earlier this month Chipotle announced that it would be upgrading its rewards with gamified offerings through its new Extras feature.

This Creator Class initiative also plays into Chipotle’s broader strategy to reach Gen Z consumers through savvy social initiatives. Earlier this summer, for instance, the brand began accepting resumes via TikTok. It has also been wooing young consumers by testing out a plant-based meat substitute and by launching a bitcoin giveaway in the spring.

Related news: As Digital Sales Hit $2B, Chipotle Offers New Rewards

Also see: Restaurant Roundup: Restaurants Bend Over Backwards to Reach Gen Z

What the Data Are Saying

Social media marketing is an effective way to reach consumers who are most likely to interact digitally with the brand. A PYMNTS survey of over 15,000 U.S. consumers published in the June 2021 report “How Consumers Live in the ConnectedEconomy™” found that 34% of consumers are highly connected — meaning they use digital tools on a regular basis — when it comes to meeting their food needs. Of these highly connected eaters, almost half (46%) are also highly connected in their social lives.

See also: Study: How 73M Highly Connected Consumers Are Pioneering the Connected Economy  

What the Experts Are Saying

The pandemic has accelerated brands’ adoption of digital marketing, such that they now need to work harder to stand out in the crowded e-space.

“In some ways, the audiences that might’ve been a bit more reluctant to transform to digital before the pandemic are now catching up to younger [and] maybe more sophisticated demographics,” Guy Atzmon, senior vice president of product and creative at SundaySky, told PYMNTS. “Those reluctant groups are now jumping on the bandwagon as well and adopting these digital behaviors.”

By getting really specific about how they tell their story (and who tells it), brands can cut through the noise and make a connection.

“I think we see that now more than ever, brands in any category and any vertical need to stand out in these digital marketplaces, and the only way to do that is through storytelling, through giving the consumer that emotional connection,” NBTV CEO and Chairman Nick Buzzell told PYMNTS. “Not just one time, because anyone can buy something once, but to have customers feel connected to that brand.”

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