As Veganuary moved into gear, Chipotle Mexican Grill teamed up with sports media and entertainment content creators Team Whistle for new brand-backed content in the ongoing ‘No Days Off’ sports series led by a spot starring Phoenix Suns star Mikal Bridges.
The online video, which was amplified across digital and social platforms, saw the Suns’ forward takes viewers through a day in his life – from training on the court to refueling with Chipotle’s meatless option – as the brand seeks to engage with healthy eating Gen Z consumers.
The Chipotle presented spot, titled ‘Mikal Bridges Reveals The Toughest NBA Player To Guard’, dropped on 25 January and primarily promotes Chipotle’s new burrito bowl with plant-based chorizo.
It also explores NBA star Bridges’ story which begins with not being heavily recruited out of high school and his commitment to the hard-work needed for him to develop the skills needed to become a starter in the NBA.
“We are focused on helping athletes perform their best by providing proper nutrition through real food and real ingredients,” explained Chipotle VP Marketing Stephanie Perdue. “Team Whistle is the ideal partner to help us educate a young, sport-obsessed audience about our new plant-based chorizo in a fun, engaging way.”
“We’re always looking for ways to lead culture and stay top of mind among Gen Z consumers,” Perdue said. “One of the many ways we accomplish this is through unexpected partnerships with brands that share similar values. Like Chipotle, Team Whistle is focused on having a positive impact on athletes across all levels, from youth to professional.”
‘No Days Off’ is a weekly YouTube show which sees Team Whistle spotlight athletes and gamers, part of its broader vision to create original content and programming that inspires as well as entertains.
Previous recent episodes have included golfer Rachel Heck and young soccer star Giselle Espinoza (sponsored by Cinnamon Toast Crunch).
Team Whistle’s ‘No Days Off’ series has racked up 3bn views to date and its YouTube page has 2.12m subscribers.
“It’s a look at athletes in a way that shows their support systems and their hard work,” said Team Whistle’s SVP of Brand Partnerships Dustin Fleischman. “It’s not just about being a natural talent but the hard work, so you can see yourself in the content.”
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Chipotle is steadily making sports a more important pillar in its marketing mix and in November it struck a multi-year deal which saw it become and official sponsor of the NHL.
This particular plant-based Veganuary tactic expands Chipotle’s founding strategy of positioning itself as a healthy alternative to burger-based quick service restaurants and casual food chains.
This is a brand partnership that makes sense
Team Whistle, which creates and distributes ‘engaging content experiences’ for contemporary audiences, always seeks a good fit between a brand and an athlete and the brand partner’s goal is typically the first thing it considers, followed by whether that partner fits the show’s format and conveys an accessible and relatable message.
Bridges actually genuinely likes Chipotle and in the video he recalls eating at the chain every day for a year after receiving a Burrito Card. He even wears a Chipotle-branded hoodie in the spot (something Fleischman noted he was not asked to do).
Plus, teaming up to partner Team Whistle’s instalment-based ‘No Days Off’ YouTube series offers the food brand access to a Team Whistle audience that skews young – which connects to the demographic segment most interested in healthier food. Indeed, Qualtrics research shows that 53% of its audience eat vegetarian and 64% eat a plant-dominant diet.
US grocery sales of plant-based foods that directly replace animal products grew 12% to $1.3bn in the 52 weeks ending July 31 2021 (and 53% over the last two years) according to Nielsen.
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