Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has been relatively quiet lately on the marketing front as it deals with the fallout of a food-safety crisis. Now, it’s turning the page. The fast-casual restaurant chain is launching its biggest ad campaign ever in terms of spending within a quarter, as it looks to rehabilitate its image and turn it into a lifestyle brand like TOMS Shoes or Apple, said Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt, who joined the chain in April as part of a leadership overhaul.

A new ad campaign and tagline focuses on Chipotle’s commitment to non-processed ingredients. The ads feature close-ups of raw ingredients, like onion and avocado, with the new tagline “Chipotle, for Real,” emphasizing that the food is “real” versus processed. “In our kitchens, you won’t find things like heat lamps, freezers or microwaves, ‘cause our kitchen’s for, you know, cooking,” says the narrator in one ad. A print ad showing all Chipotle ingredients makes a broader statement about the world. “The only ingredient that’s hard to pronounce at Chipotle is chipotle,” it reads in bold type. In finer print, the ad reads, “Real is a way of acting in the world. And when so much of the world feels artificial, it’s nice to get back to real.” “‘For Real’ is new but reflects principals the company was founded on,” said Mr. Brandt. “Being relatively silent for the last few years, other people kind of usurped our position. We didn’t talk about what made us great.”

Chipotle’s revenue and reputation have suffered after food-safety issues in recent years, including E. Coli, salmonella and norovirus cases traced back to local restaurants. The company in 2016 launched a marketing effort outlining steps it was taking to ensure the safety of its food. More recently, it partnered with food-safety platform Zenput to help manage its safety protocols. There have been positive signs in recent results. Chipotle in July reportedan 8% increase in revenue in the quarter and raised its full-year outlook. Chipotle’s position on natural ingredients has been a focus of recent marketing efforts, like its widely lauded “Scarecrow” video from 2013. But Mr. Brandt wants the new campaign to strike a more positive tone. “The Scarecrow,” a chill-inducing video created by CAA, paints a picture of a dark world in which animals are treated badly and food is processed in factories. The video, which follows a scarecrow on a journey to find and use fresh ingredients, highlighted the problems with a food industry that thrives on processed food. It generated a lot of buzz when it was released, but its not the kind of advertising that will resonate with today’s young consumer, said Mr. Brandt. “We should be celebrating more, focusing on what makes us great,” he said. “In the past, we were focused on what others didn’t do. I wanted a more positive tone.” The new ads, created by Venables Bell & Partners, will appear on TV, including national primetime, NFL games and college football, starting today. The campaign will also launch across social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, as well as media properties like Vice and Buzzfeed. – Source: The Wall Street Journal.