Friday5: Brands We Love-Chipotle

The hottest ticket in town. From their huge portions of deliciously prepared, perfectly seasoned meats, veggies, and guacamole it makes for the perfect lunch or dinner anytime of the week. There really is a whole lot to love. How can you argue with fans who produce videos like this? Here are our 5 reasons why we love Chipotle?

1) Product. Chipotle uses only the top ingredients from locally sourced, sustainably grown, and ethically raised meats and vegetables. Sure you might find other burritos that "taste" better, but when you're eating Chipotle you know in the back of your mind that you are consuming a meal that has isn't just good for you, but good for the planet as well. Chipotle uses the highest quality ingredients, and always busy locations means that the food is fresher.

2) Communication. Chipotle has always excelled in communicating with their customers. It's one of the main reasons why they can do what they do. If an ingredient becomes more expensive, they let the customer know exactly why they are charging more for their burrito. Recently, Chipotle ran into an issue with their supply of pork. They couldn't get the quantity needed to meet the demand of sustainable and ethically raised animals, thus they decided that it was in the best interests of the company to discontinue carrying carnitas and other pork products off of the menu. By discussing the reasons with their customers directly regarding their decision, keeping the focus about the values of the company, they were able to remove a staple off their menu with minimal repercussions.

3) Chipotle's Cultivate Festival. Chipotle is always expanding and finding innovate ways to reach their audience. Enter the Cultivate Festival, Chipotle is raising the bar in how they market to consumers. Having attended one of these myself, it's a pretty interesting experience-particularly from a marketers' point of view. The festival moves around the country to several cities every year and includes a free concert, food, and informative stations where individuals can learn about where Chipotle's food comes from.

4) Dynamic/Interactive Advertising. Last year, Chipotle took big props for some creative advertsing. They created an advertisement with Pixar, and released a game app. Getting out messages through digital media is becoming increasingly difficult as consumers are becoming more adept at filtering out distractions. However, Chipotle was able to find a way to reach consumers.

5) Incentives. February 9th in Colorado, Chipotle offered a "Buy One Get One" burrito if customers bough in a valid 2015 ski pass. In January they ran a "Buy One Get One" deal if you bought an entree with sofritas (tofu). Every Halloween you can get half off of your burrito if you wear a costume with aluminum foil. Chipotle offers several opportunities throughout the year where customers can get discounted or free burritos. On

At Weise we eat Chipotle at least once a week, some of us more than that, and it's the official fuel of our creative work.