Yes, you read it correctly. I want my Choco Taco. For those of you who don’t know what a Choco Taco is, I’ll gladly explain. A Choco Taco is a delicious ice cream treat. Klondike, who makes the ice cream novelty, took a drumstick ice cream and made it look like a taco. The outside “taco shell” is the cone and “the filling” is the ice cream. Needless to say, it’s delicious!
The Choco Taco was made famous by Taco Bell many years ago. Given that the fast food chain already sells real tacos, it’s only natural that they would sell ice cream tacos too. However, I hadn’t heard, seen or eaten a Choco Taco in God knows how many years. Then, a few weeks ago, while watching TV, I saw an ad for Choco Taco. Apparently, it’s making a comeback, and a big one at that. The ads are running on primetime television, and while they may not be brilliant, they work. After watching one, I immediately began craving a Choco Taco.
Not only did I now want a Choco Taco, but the next day I told everyone in the office about it and they wanted one too! There was only one problem facing me and my sweet treat. You can’t find them anywhere. I searched our local Target, Stater Bros, Costco, and gas stations, but none had Choco Tacos.
So, what happened? We know that Klondike did a great job targeting men. In addition to the ads, the company got College Humor to team up with Epic Meal Time and create an episode entitled “Giant Chocolate Taco.” We also know that the marketing is funny as well as effective since our whole office has been jonesing for a Choco Taco since seeing the ads.
If the problem’s not marketing, what is it? Distribution. Now that Klondike’s created the demand, they can’t provide their audience with a sufficient supply of their product. I understand they’re just rolling out the product, but that’s no excuse. The product should be easy to find and buy. I shouldn’t have to spend hours going to different stores trying to find the product, it should be at every grocery store out there.
The VIA Agency (the agency who did the Choco Taco campaign) gets an A for creating ads that increase demand for the product. But, advertising can only do so much. The client has to have a quality product and effective distribution of that product to close the deal. I can only hope that this is all part of some brilliant strategy on the part of Klondike, i.e., the company is waiting until demand is so high that people flood the streets scavenging for a Choco Taco like the Walking Dead. As for me, I’m giving them one more week to fill the stores with Choco Tacos, then I’m buying some Rachel Bilson endorsed Magnums.
