Mexican-inspired fast-food chain Taco Bell is a case study in effective marketing. It has mastered relatable humor and celebrity partnerships over the past year, and it’s paying off. When Doja Cat lamented the discontinuation of Mexican pizza, her flippant tweet snowballed into a successful campaign to bring the product back in May 2022, driving $45 million in pizza sales and an 8% overall sales spike. And as a growing number of U.S. states introduced bills restricting drag performances, Taco Bell launched a drag-brunch tour across five states. The ploy helped buoy record 2022 sales, and earned praise for celebrating drag. “Many brands are exclusive, and ours is not,” says CEO Mark King.
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