If you’re deciding what to munch on during this weekend’s Super Bowl, Chipotle has you covered with a generous offer of free food for football enthusiasts.
Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner, occurring this weekend on February 8.
The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are set to clash once again, more than a decade after their intense matchup in Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots emerged victorious.
To add an extra layer of excitement to the occasion, thousands of fans will have the chance to grab some free Chipotle. To participate, you’ll need to stay alert on Chipotle’s Instagram page. The brand will unveil a one-time video on Instagram Reels, titled ‘The Chipotle Realest 30’.
Within the Reel, a text-to-claim code will be displayed, and the first 100,000 fans to text the code to 888222 will earn a free entrée.
Free options include a burrito, burrito bowl, salad, quesadilla, and tacos. The code will remain valid until Thursday, February 12.
Stephanie Perdue, Interim Chief Marketing Officer of Chipotle, stated in a Chipotle news release: “With our real ingredients, we don’t use any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives on our menu—so when AI shows up in a TV ad after halftime, we’re seizing that one moment to reward fans with what they really want: real food.”
According to PEOPLE, the video is anticipated to be posted sometime after halftime and before the third quarter, serving as an alternative to a pricey commercial during the game.
Given the soaring cost of commercial slots at this year’s Super Bowl, it’s understandable why Chipotle opted not to purchase an ad.
This year’s slots, typically limited to 30 seconds, were reportedly sold for around $8 million, with some brands spending over $10 million, according to Mike Marshall, head of global advertising for NBCUniversal.
Some may wonder if investing such a significant amount is truly beneficial from a business standpoint. Experts argue that it is.
“Even though a Super Bowl advertising campaign might not pay immediately in hard dollars and cents, if a business can afford to produce one of these stellar spots, they stand to earn new customers and build awareness on a scale unmatched by other outlets,” Peter Koeppel, founder of marketing agency Koeppel Direct, told The Independent.
He added: “The commercials have to be memorable for them to pay off in the long run. An ad that doesn’t give viewers something, for better or worse, won’t be a profitable one.”