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By Ed Avis
TV ads for Mexican restaurants usually include shots of steaming platters of food, happy customers toasting with margaritas, and the proud proprietor standing at the counter. There’s nothing wrong with those ads – they probably bring a lot of customers in the door. But there are better – at least more interesting – ads out there, too. These ads eschew the clichés and try to set the mood rather than just show off the food. Here are five ads that we think do a great job of promoting these restaurants.
1) First up is this ad for Don Marco's Mexican Restaurant in Kodak, Tennessee. It shows off the food, but in such an artistic and mood-setting way that potential customers get the sense that they'll be visiting a truly special place...even though the dining room itself looks pretty casual. And it totally skips the typical views of young adults downing margaritas.
2. Next is this slick ad for ad for Madre de Lobo Mexican Restaurant in Toronto. It does a great job of showing the atmosphere guests can expect -- great music, lots of fun, hip people, cool decor. The food looks great, too, but it doesn't even appear until the ad is more than halfway through. There's no question that you're going to have a real "experience" when you come to Madre de Lobo.
3. This fun ad for Tito's Tacos in Los Angeles takes advantage of the restaurant's Blondie (the cartoon, not the singer) print campaign (click here to read about the Blondie/Tito's connection). It makes the point that eating at Tito's Tacos will be fun!
4. This ad is totally different -- its for Eala Latin Kitchen in Iran, and it features the husband and wife owners discussing how they met and brought Mexican food to that country. It's a mini love story and ad rolled into one. Mexican food is probably not super common Iran, and this ad does a nice job of introducing the cuisine through a story that everyone can relate to.
5. Finally, we conclude with this very professional brand-building video for Juanita's Mexican Restaurant in Cypress, Texas. Rather than flashy shots of happy customers eating burritos and drinking margs, it attracts customers by showing the family behind the restaurant and their commitment to good food. It truly makes Juanita's stand out in a crowded restaurant market.
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