• by Sheree R. Curry , March 29, 2007

As El Pollo Loco of Irvine, Calif., expands its grilled-chicken franchise with 61 new restaurants nationwide, it’s also firing up its brand name on reality TV.

For the January 28 airing of “The Apprentice: Los Angeles,” the challenge for the two competing teams was to create, market, and sell their own version of the chain’s Original Pollo Bowl of chicken, beans, and rice.

“As people zap past commercials more and more, here’s a way to get your brand message out,” says El Pollo Loco’s director of marketing, Mark Hardison. “You get implied endorsement from the participants in whatever program you’re placing your products.”

Although the 32-year-old company welcomed the exposure, it did not seek it out. “Apprentice” producers came to the 359-unit chain when they needed a drive-through restaurant epitomizing Los Angeles’ healthy eating style, says Hardison.

To coincide with the airing of “The Apprentice,” El Pollo Loco created an interactive online contest — Create Your Own Pollo Bowl. The winner was to get tickets to the show’s finale. Traffic on the Web site was five times greater after the show aired.