Chipotle has released its first-ever Super Bowl commercial that will air in the second quarter of Sunday night's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the ad titled Can a Burrito Change the World?, a young boy talks with his unimpressed sister about the long-chain of sustainability that can stem from responsibly harvested food.
"One of the things we know now more than ever is that consumers want to know what a brand's values are," Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer at Chipotle, told Cheddar on Tuesday.
Beyond drawing attention to the quality of the restaurant chain's ingredients, putting the spotlight on hard-working American farmers was another centerpiece of the production, according to Brandt.
"We thought it would be a great chance to talk about what our food philosophy is, and we also wanted to draw attention to the plight of farmers because being a farmer today has never been more difficult — even before COVID," he said, adding that Chipotle is pledging $5 million over the next five years to support young American farmers.
The 30-second time slot is estimated to have cost Chipotle a whopping $5.5 million, but Brandt says the commercial is less about immediate return on investment and more about raising brand awareness.
"We believe that the more you find out about what Chipotle's doing, the more you'll love the brand and that will lead to sales down the road," Brandt said. "This is definitely more of a brand play for us."
Chipotle has also released a 60-second version of the commercial online.
