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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Julie Weeks
714-599-5150
El Pollo Loco
jweeks@elpolloloco.com
10/01/2008 cruz/kravetz:IDEAS is Showered with Telly Bronze for El Pollo Loco Tacos Television Launch Burbank, CA-based Hispanic agency recognized in four categories at 28th Annual Telly Awards
LOS ANGELES, CA. (October 1, 2008) – Hispanic advertising agency cruz/kravetz:IDEAS (CKI) has lots to celebrate. In addition to enjoying its 10th anniversary with client El Pollo Loco, the Hispanic advertising leader earned four Bronze Telly Awards at the 28th Annual Telly Awards held in June, 2008. This prestigious award program honors the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions and web work.
CKI received Telly Awards in four different categories, Food/Beverage, Use of Animation, Use of Graphics and Art Direction, for the breakthrough introduction of El Pollo Loco’s Soft and Crunchy Chicken Tacos in a television spot titled “Taco Celestial.” The 30 second commercial offers a striking twist on traditional retail food advertising with pastiche animation. The clever use of graphics owes as much to Frida Kahlo as it does Monty Python. The eye-popping visuals were produced by Venice-based MAkinÉ in collaboration with CKI. Music and sound credits go to BCN Music and Tono Studios, respectively.
“We were tired of seeing smiling construction workers atop a scaffold eating lunch every time some quick-service restaurant was trying to reach 18- to 49-year-old blue collar Hispanic males,” explained CKI president and CCO Maite D’Amico. “The El Pollo Loco brand, with its sharp humor and wit, calls for a far more creative, out-of-the-box approach to direct response TV advertising. The spot we created for the launch of El Pollo Loco’s new tacos features 2-D animated cutouts of people worshipping ‘celestial tacos’ that are floating above a mountaintop on angelic wings. It’s both surreal and fully engaging,” added D’Amico.
As a rewarding bonus, the spot contributed to record-breaking sales figures. “The unique ‘Taco Celestial’ television spot had a significant impact on guests’ demand for our new tacos,” said Karen Eadon, Chief Marketing Officer for El Pollo Loco. “It’s extremely gratifying to achieve such great results for our investment and we congratulate CKI on a job well done.”
The visual concept and art direction was conceived and overseen by CKI VP director of production/creative associate, Gilda Zevallos; associate creative director, Francisco Stohr and junior art director, René Saldaña.
This marks the 28th year for the nationally renowned Telly Awards, which this year received over 14,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.
About cruz/kravetz:IDEAS: Based in Burbank, CA, cruz/kravetz:IDEAS is a marketing consultancy and full-service advertising and public relations agency, focusing on the U.S. Hispanic market. Driven by a corporate philosophy focused on a “Return On Ideas,” the Agency empowers its clients to build lasting relationships with Latino consumers by focusing on corporate culture, customer service and communications. Its clients include El Pollo Loco Restaurants, Denny’s Restaurants and Wellpoint, among others. For more information, visit http://www.ckideas.com.
About El Pollo Loco: Founded in Guasave, Mexico in 1975, El Pollo Loco, Spanish for “The Crazy Chicken,” opened its first U.S. restaurant in 1980 and is famous for the unique preparation of its award-winning “pollo”-- fresh chicken marinated in a special recipe of herbs, spices and citrus juices passed down from the founding family. The marinated chicken is then flame-grilled, hand cut and served hot off the grill with warm tortillas, freshly prepared salsas, and a wide assortment of side dishes. El Pollo Loco currently operates more than 400 restaurants in 13 states: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. is a privately held company owned by Trimaran Pollo Partners, LLC and management. For more information about El Pollo Loco, visit the company’s Web site at www.elpolloloco.com.
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