Jenna Blumenfeld, Freelancer

July 7, 2016

Who would have guessed that the Backstreet Boy's "I Want It That Way," which was used to promote Burger King in the pop group's heydey, would be co-opted by Chipotle, the fast-food chain that champions healthy eating and conscious sourcing.

Chipotle's third original film, entitled "A Love Story," chronicles the paths of two children with juice stands. As they grow up, their respective juice stands morph into mega corporations that prioritize profit over quality. Fresh squeezed lemonade becomes lemonade made with "lemon flavor." Fluorescent billboards tout cheap, unhealthy food available in large quantities. Eventually, the protagonists realize their mistake, and turn instead to making fresh, Mexican-inspired cuisine out of a food truck (such as a taco that looks suspiciously akin to a Chipotle meal).

It's a good watch.

AdAge.com says that the film is designed to inspire consumers "to sign up for a new summer loyalty program, Chiptopia, born out of the prolonged sales slump Chipotle continues to find itself in months after the outbreak headlines ended," AdAge reports. It's referring to Chipotle's well-publicized snafu with food safety issues, which included E. coli outbreaks and "bi-coastal norovirus outbreaks sickening 385 people in August and December, and a salmonella outbreak affecting 64 in Minnesota in September," Nutrition Business Journal says.

While the film has been in development for 18 months—before the outbreaks began—it may help smooth over Chipotle's reputation by reminding consumers of the chain's commitment to use fresh, unadulterated ingredients, consciously sourced meat and mostly non-GMO ingredients.

If anything, we think the film is pretty darn cute. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.

About the Author(s)

Jenna Blumenfeld

Freelancer

Jenna Blumenfeld lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she reports on the natural products industry, sustainable agriculture, and all things plant based. 

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