Food for thought

Every now and then you come across a campaign that's adorable. And Chipotle's latest definitely falls into this category.

(Watch it here) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtnas5ScSE 

From the melancholic expression on the Scarecrow's face to the arrogant crow, everything about this campaign had me going 'aww'. Yet, when you dig deeper, this campaign seems to have layers. One is the obvious fight against large food corporations that mass produced foods- packaged or otherwise and the slow but steady disappearance of the small farmer (which is now gaining significance world over, not just in America). The perennial fight of a small entity against large corporations. 

However, to me it is another angle to this story that is really interesting. The simple insights that the makers of this video have taken into account, has at the end of the day made the campaign what it is (It has 6.8 million views on YouTube as of this day). The end seems to say that if you don't believe in the system that you are entrenched in, leave it. Don't waste your life in feeling morose every single day and instead seek what you really want. Of course this is not a new thought. It has been echoed by many brands over a period of time. Apple for instance praised those who refused to be boxed in their ode to the crazy ones. But what's different about Chipotle's campaign is:

1) The depiction of a 'regular guy': The scarecrow represents just about any one of us. The 'regular person' wound up in a huge system as a small cog in an enormous wheel. His contribution goes unnoticed and he's fairly 'replaceable' in the system. Anyone who's worked in a large company might have felt this way at some point of time or the other. While some of us feel it more acutely, others may feel so, sporadically. This depiction strikes the empathy chord reminding us that the scarecrow could be any one of us!

2) Turning a 'blind eye': A lot of times, in the video, the scarecrow turns a 'blind eye' to things that are 'wrong' on his moral compass. He is unable to protest and 'goes with the flow' despite that nagging little feeling of doing wrong. While this may not be true for everyone, I believe that a lot of us notice that things around as are not really the way they should be and yet we don't protest. It could be the fear of punishment, or simply the fear of gaining the tag of a whistle blower and the ostracization that follows. So this portrayal, is yet another lovely insight from our own lives.

3) Cultivating hope: Of course, the best thing about the campaign is the depiction of the Scarecrow ultimately over coming his reservations and following his heart, but what's special about this is the way he goes about doing what he thinks is right and believing that there is someone out there who sees things the way he does. He cultivates his little farm, sets up his little shop and offers his fresh produce waiting for someone to notice. This may be momentary yet the pause drives home the fact that change cannot be immediate. For those who have dared to break out of the mold, this is a valuable lesson. People may not see you for your worth immediately, yet hang on to hope, for there will come a day when one little boy out there will turn his head towards you!

Though the campaign is not primarily about any of the observations mentioned earlier, I believe that these insights are what make it powerful and empathetic. The use of animations in place of actual people seals the deal. Over all, this most certainly is a campaign that ties in with Chipotle's brand concept- 'Food with integrity'. And adding a video game that one can access through their smartphones- ingenious!