This was no ordinary brand campaign. We didn’t just make ads about how we didn’t think Taco Tuesday should be trademarked. Gen Z values brands with clear beliefs, so we stood for the freedom of a beloved tradition. Our strategy for this campaign was to show, not merely say, what we believed in as a brand—that when we discovered the term “Taco Tuesday” was trademarked, we believed it was a true injustice. We knew something had to be done about this, so we took a powerful action: filing a legal petition to challenge the “Taco Tuesday” trademark.

"Taco Tuesday" is deeply embedded in American culture, making it a significant cultural touchstone, particularly among Taco Bell's target audience. But the widespread celebration of this tradition was contradicted by the fact that someone claimed “Taco Tuesday” was their exclusive trademark–an injustice that we believed needed to be solved. The earliest documented Taco Tuesday dates back to the October 16, 1933, edition of the El Paso Herald-Post, and today nearly 100,000 restaurants in America serve tacos… on Tuesdays. Yet only one was able to promote it. That’s because they trademarked the phrase in the 1980s, and did not allow any other brand, including thousands of small businesses, to celebrate the taco’s biggest day. By addressing this issue, Taco Bell not only tapped into cultural zeitgeist, but also showcased its commitment to preserving cultural traditions.

Taco Bell's leadership in the taco landscape amplified the impact of this campaign, reinforcing its position as leader and innovator within the space. Additionally, the timing of the campaign aligned with broader societal trends towards corporate responsibility and advocacy for fairness.

Ultimately, this campaign strategically reinforced Taco Bell's brand identity, resonated with its target audience, addressed a pertinent cultural issue, asserted industry leadership, and aligned with societal trends.

For years, Taco Bell captivated Millennials with lifestyle-centric marketing. Now targeting Gen Z, we aimed to redefine our brand identity. Gen Z values brands with clear beliefs, so we stood for the freedom of a beloved tradition, “Taco Tuesday.” Our campaign stemmed from the widespread popularity of Taco Tuesday—and the fact that one brand had trademarked it so they alone could promote it. That was unfair. It hindered other businesses, including small ones, from celebrating. As a leading taco brand, we took action to rectify this issue, recognizing Taco Tuesday's cultural significance and the importance of the tradition. By challenging the trademark, we demonstrated our commitment to fairness and supported the small businesses affected. This initiative aligned with our ethos of authenticity and resonated with our audience, fostering stronger connection with Gen Z. Our objective was clear: Liberate the trademark.

Instead of relying on typical advertising strategies, we chose to pursue an unprecedented approach. Our campaign centered around a real legal petition aimed at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. But in order for that to happen, lawyers had to quickly become creatives, while copywriters became legal scholars. We combined our legal and creative minds to write a singular piece of communication to work as an actual legal petition that could be filed with the US courts, and also to become viral throughout traditional and social media platforms. It was a move with no legal, or marketing, precedent. By challenging norms and pushing the boundaries of brand activism, we demonstrated innovation and creativity that align perfectly with the spirit of our target.

For years, Taco Bell captivated Millennials with lifestyle-centric marketing. Now targeting Gen Z, we aimed to redefine our brand identity. Gen Z values brands with clear beliefs, so we stood for the freedom of "Taco Tuesday," a beloved tradition. Our strategy for this campaign was to show, not merely say, what we believed in as a brand—that when we discovered the term “Taco Tuesday” was trademarked, we believed it was a true injustice. We knew something had to be done about this, so we took a powerful action: filing a legal petition to challenge the “Taco Tuesday” trademark. We took what should have been a boring piece of legal and made it a core part of our campaign. The creative pieces were then intricately interwoven to tell a compelling story, encourage active participation, and maximize reach.

We employed a multichannel approach, utilizing various platforms to reach our audience. The most important piece of creative was the legal filing itself. We took what should have been a boring piece of legal and made it a core part of our campaign, which served as a key visual to understand why Taco Bell was trying to free the trademark. We combined our legal and creative minds to write a singular piece of communication to work as an actual legal petition that could be filed with the US courts, and also to become viral throughout traditional and social media platforms.

After the filing, we worked with popular lawyer TikTokers (aka Lawfluencers) to help explain our case to the public. All assets drove to a Change.org petition where fans could show their support. The creative pieces were intricately interwoven to tell a compelling story, encourage active participation, and maximize reach.

At the core of our business objective was an unequivocal mission: to emancipate the "Taco Tuesday" trademark. This objective was chosen to facilitate the unimpeded usage of this beloved phrase by all (not just by Taco Bell), devoid of legal encumbrance. Although initial estimates suggested a timeline of over two years, we successfully achieved trademark liberation within a mere three months.

Our campaign resonated profoundly, amassing over 21 billion impressions across various media channels, 11,000 feature stories, garnering more than 25,000 petition signatures from enthusiastic supporters, and earning coveted recognition on Ad Age's roster of brands with considerable influence among Gen Z audiences.

The liberation of the Taco Tuesday trademark, spearheaded by Taco Bell's advocacy, represented a pivotal moment in the taco landscape. In a bold move, Taco Bell championed the cause for universal access to this iconic phrase, ending the exclusivity imposed by its former trademark holder forever.

Our campaign was inspired by the widespread popularity of Taco Tuesday and the unfair trademarking of the term by one brand in the 1980s. This hindered other businesses, including small ones, from participating in the tradition, which has been a beloved part of American culture since 1930. Recognizing the cultural significance of Taco Tuesday and its importance to businesses across America, we took action by filing a legal petition to challenge the trademark. Our objective was to free the term 'Taco Tuesday' so that all taco businesses could use it freely. This bold stance turned into a movement, demonstrating our commitment to our fans and the taco community at large.