Taco Bell is taking its signature “Live Más” experience internationally! Learn how they build brand relevance in new markets by connecting with local music scenes and cultural trends.
For years, Taco Bell has built its brand in the U.S. by connecting itself to four cultural pillars—music, sports, fashion, and art—and turning its “Live Más” tagline into a consumer lifestyle. Now, it’s looking to replicate that cultural approach in other markets.
Taco Bell has prioritized international growth as the chain seeks to hit $20 billion in annual revenue. The brand now has more than 1,000 locations across 31 countries outside the U.S., and Yum CEO David Gibbs has said that Taco Bell International has a bright future.
“At Taco Bell International, the team is working on building brand relevance,” the executive said on a recent earnings call. “It is still early days in many markets, and trends remain volatile, but we remain confident in the long-term opportunity.”
As part of those brand-building efforts, Taco Bell UK kicked off Encore Hours this month, keeping select restaurants open late so that music fans don’t have to choose between listening to artists’ encores and getting food at restaurants that close as early as 10 p.m.
“Taco Bell is a place where we grow from infusing ourselves into the culture,” said Taco Bell International CMO Amy Durini. “This program came from the fans.”
The first Encore Hours activation kicked off in London from Aug. 15-20 at Taco Bell Wembley High Road and kept a location that is a short walk from the U.K.’s largest music venue, Wembley Stadium, open until 2 a.m. The first 50 guests received limited edition t-shirts; the first 500 customers could earn a free Crunchy Taco with their order. The activations will continue throughout London and in Brighton into December.
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Despite Taco Bell’s U.S. success in marketing around culture, it’s not a “plug-and-play” situation — not everything that works in the U.S. works in outside markets, Durini explained.
“We try to lean into local insights and understand what the fans are saying in each of our markets so we can take our broader brand strategy and put some local cultural context around it,” the executive said. “Encore Hours doesn’t exist in the U.S., but it’s a perfect example of the magic of talking about this relationship with music.”
