In its 23 years of operation, Illegal Pete’s had never featured a limited time menu offering. When I came on board, I saw the opportunity to place an increased emphasis on the company’s food quality, unique menu items, and the ingredients that set Illegal Pete’s apart from competing fast-casual burrito concepts.
I pitched Nacho November: a month-long nacho party that highlighted our spicy Old Timer chorizo—which is typically only available during breakfast and weekend brunch—all day long. Rather than introducing a new SKU to the food order guide, I suggested we feature an existing product that was undeniably delicious, but didn’t enjoy great awareness among our customer base.
I created a roll-out plan that included:
- A campaign timeline and deliverables required from internal stakeholders.
- An influencer and media partner outreach plan.
- A consumer contest encouraging guests to post their favorite Illegal Pete’s nacho build on Instagram for a chance to win free nachos for a year.
- A cross-promotional opportunity with Avery Brewing Company promoting White Rascal as Illegal Pete’s beer of the month in exchange for social shout-outs.
To implement the campaign, I had to work across several internal departments:
- Training established where chorizo should live full-time on the modified front line. Since chorizo is generally moved off the line after breakfast, the team had to figure out a way to make a pan of chorizo fit alongside lunch proteins (steak, chicken, shredded beef, and carnitas) without the risk of dripping meat juice into vegan items (black beans, pinto beans, potatoes).
- IT updated the Point of Sale system with item numbers for all new, lunch-related menu items, as well as the chorizo “bombs” that customers could add to a large order of chips and queso.
- Design ideated a campaign look & feel for the Nacho November and the secondary push, chorizo add-ons. Design also created a landing page explaining the LTO and consumer contest rules.
- PR sent out a press release and conducted outreach to local media partners.
Look & Feel
Landing Page Components
Myself and my Marketing Director reached out to external contacts in order to spread the Nacho November message far and wide:
- Instagram Influencers were offered free entree and drink cards in exchange for a social post promoting the LTO and the contest.
- Media Partners featured Nacho November on their social channels and websites:
- Westword: The Six Best Events on the Culinary Calendar This Weekend
- 303 Magazine: Dig Into November – What to Eat and Drink in Denver This Month
- TwoParts Instagram promo and e-blast
We promoted the campaign organically via our channels, as well:
Social Launch Video
- To view, click below or here.
Weekly Newsletter
Promotional Copy Samples
- Illegal Pete’s is extending National Nacho Day – November 6 – all month long. Enjoy our local chorizo anytime, and get a chance to win one year of free nachos!
- Illegal Pete’s is extending National Nacho Day – November 6 – all month long during our month-long nacho party, Nacho November! In honor of Nacho November, we’re offering a limited time menu item: Add chorizo, which is typically only available during breakfast/brunch, to any entree throughout the day.
- In honor of everyone’s favorite snack-turned-meal, Illegal Pete’s is declaring all of November: Nacho November! Add our spicy pork chorizo, which is typically only available during breakfast/brunch, to any entree throughout the day. Tell us what your favorite nacho build is on Instagram for a chance to win free nachos for a year. Learn how to enter here: www.nachonovember.com
- We’ve got our spicy chorizo on the line all day long during the month of November! Try it in your burrito, taco, or as a bomb in a large order of queso. #nachonovember #howdoyounacho
Campaign Takeaways
- Chorizo bomb add-ons outpaced chorizo nacho orders.
- Many customers learned about Illegal Pete’s chorizo and—more importantly— breakfast offerings for the first time due to the promotion.
- We received great social traction thanks to our influencer and media partners, but contest entries were low.
- Our team learned that we have the proper infrastructure in place to to pull off a company-wide LTO.
Audrey Keller 