El Pollo Loco’s Abuela dispenses chicken wisdom on TikTok

There’s a new grandmother in town and she’s sharing all of her unsolicited hot takes and cheeky commentary on chicken.

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(El Pollo Loco)
(El Pollo Loco)

There’s a new grandmother in town and she’s sharing all of her unsolicited hot takes and cheeky commentary on chicken. 

The “Abuela Approved” campaign from El Pollo Loco, acknowledges the unique bond between grandparent and grandchild, with a heavy dose of relatability. In the series of TikTok videos, Abuela shares her sassy commentary on a range of buzzworthy pop culture moments, social media trends and El Pollo’s L.A. Mex cuisine. 

Food is how many grandparents show their love, even if they do it in unconventional ways. For example, in my family, my father is famous for the grilled cheese and tomato soup that he makes for his grandsons, my nephews.

And, as much as we love our grandparents, we’ve all been on the receiving end of unsolicited, but well-meaning advice.

In a recent video, Abuela eats El Pollo Loco while offering unsolicited advice on the latest fashion trend of cottagecore, explaining that the idealized rural look would never attract the eye of a future husband like Timothe Chalamet. In another, she mistakenly tries to explain what crypto coin is.

“El Pollo Loco is a brand rooted in family love. In fact, the very core of the El Pollo Loco menu was inspired by a family fire-grilled chicken recipe brought north from Mexico and this connection to heritage sets the tone for everything we do as a brand,” says chief marketing officer Andy Rebhun. 

“Welcoming our ‘Head Abuela in Charge’ to the El Pollo Loco familia is a lighthearted nod back to our roots and ultimately seeks to entertain followers. It’s an exciting next step in how we engage with new and existing fans on TikTok.”

The “Abuela Approved” social media campaign will run throughout the summer.

El Pollo Loco sells handcrafted L.A. Mex food, a California twist on traditional Mexican food. The brand operates more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Louisiana.

Why TikTok should matter for chicken marketers

Buzz on TikTok and other social media platforms is a good way to attract the attention of younger consumers, such as Generation Z and Millennials.

“If your marketing departments aren’t paying attention to TikTok, it might be something you at least want them watching,”  Leah Beyer, senior advisor, digital communications, global corporate communications, Elanco Animal Health, said at the 2021 Chicken Marketing Summit. “If they’re not on TikTok, an easy Google search will show you what’s popular on the social media platform.”

Attend the 2022 Chicken Marketing Summit

The 2022 Chicken Marketing Summit will be held at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia on July 25-27. Serving a unique cross section of the chicken supply chain, Chicken Marketing Summit explores issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns and purchasing behavior.

Registration is now open

For more information and to attend, visit: www.wattglobalmedia.com/chickenmarketingsummit/.

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