Organic Loses Management of El Pollo Loco's Creative Account to Innocean
Rewritten Article:
El Pollo Loco takes a bold step, steering their business away from Organic and entrusting Innocean USA with the task of revitalizing the 50-year-old QSR brand for a new generation of customers. This move comes as part of El Pollo Loco's goal to reinvent themselves for the future, maintaining their connection with the legacy fanbase while catering to a younger, culturally savvy audience.
The three-month pitch process proved fruitful, with Innocean's idea not only securing the business, but shaping the entire brand overhaul. The revamp, set to launch nationally on May 15, 2025, will emphasize quality, freshness, and authenticity, striking a chord with today's more discriminating fast-food aficionados, affectionately dubbed "fast foodies."
Jill Adams, El Pollo Loco's CMO, spoke with ADWEEK, clarifying that the upcoming campaign signifies more an evolution than a revolution. While the logo and color palette remain, the focus will be on highlighting both the food quality and the moments of enjoyment it brings. The creative campaign will run across traditional, digital, and social media platforms, with a sneak peek anticipated during the brand's May 1 earnings call.
To guide the pitch, El Pollo Loco partnered with consultancy The Burnett Collective. After carefully sifting through potential candidates, the brand zeroed in on three finalists based on vital criteria such as regional presence, QSR experience, and a firm understanding of the El Pollo Loco ethos.
Innocean, a late addition to the field, clinched the victory by maintaining constant communication, evolving its pitch into a comprehensive brand platform.
"We were generous with our time and space, allowing Innocean plenty of room for feedback throughout the process," Adams said. "This flexibility helped Innocean hone in on an idea that shaped our brand relaunch."
Innocean's winning pitch was built around the insight that El Pollo Loco customers exhibit a unique duality, balancing their love for social engagement with moments of personal reflection and care. This understanding guided the brand refresh, helping El Pollo Loco position itself as a part of its customers' lives, providing meaningful experiences beyond mere transactions.
Jason Sperling, Innocean's chief creative officer, expressed his excitement about the win, stating, "We're eager to show the world what we're capable of with El Pollo Loco. This is a pivotal moment for both the brand and for our agency."
Organic, El Pollo Loco's previous social and digital AOR, is applauded for their collaborative efforts during their tenure. Adams shared, "Organic was an exceptional partner, and we accomplished a great deal together. Ultimately, it was time to move on to a new agency as we embark on the next chapter of our brand's journey."
Part of that new chapter includes a return to El Pollo Loco's roots, tracing the story back to a shoe store before it became a successful fast-food chain. El Pollo Loco's founder's passion and determination to bring top-notch chicken to the world will continue to drive the brand's mission.
Today, El Pollo Loco boasts more than 500 locations across California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Louisiana, and Colorado. Nearly 80% of these can be found in California. El Pollo Loco declined to disclose specifics about their investment in the rebrand or current media spend. However, with a revenue of $473 million in FY2024, as per their latest earnings report, they are well-equipped to invest in their future success.
Events like Cracker Barrel's agency reshuffle and rebranding efforts signal the competitive landscape in the QSR industry, where companies are constantly striving to remain relevant, appealing, and accessible to the younger demographic. By balancing heritage with innovation, El Pollo Loco aims to cement its place as a premium yet approachable QSR choice for the next 50 years.
- Millennials, with their discerning tastes, will find appeal in El Pollo Loco's upcoming brand overhaul, as the revamp, launching in May 2025, emphasizes quality, freshness, and authenticity.
- Innocean, the agency chosen to revitalize El Pollo Loco's brand, clinched the victory by evolving their pitch into a comprehensive brand platform, focusing on the unique duality of El Pollo Loco customers who balance social engagement with personal reflection and care.
- In the pursuit of reinventing themselves for the future, El Pollo Loco, a fast-food chain with over 500 locations across several states, is investing in finance to fund their rebrand, having achieved revenue of $473 million in FY2024.
- El Pollo Loco's return to its roots, tracing the story back to a shoe store before it became a successful fast-food chain, aims to position the brand as a premium yet approachable QSR choice for the next 50 years.
- With Innocean's creative direction, El Pollo Loco seeks to provide more than just transactions to its customers, but meaningful experiences that cater to the new generation of fast-food enthusiasts, or as they are affectionately known, "fast foodies."
