• by Aaron Baar , May 11, 2009

Tacos and burritos may only be two menu items, but when one accounts for the ability to change the ingredient list inside (meats, cheese, vegetables, condiments), the menu options can exceed 60,000, according to Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The quick-service restaurant chain, which has been touting its offerings as "Food with Integrity," is launching a new advertising campaign to raise public awareness of this fact. The new campaign, "My Chipotle," uses input from the restaurants' sometimes fanatical customers to show the variety that can be experienced by dining at Chipotle, says company representative Chris Arnold.

"In a world where people are used to ordering a 'Number One [meal]' on the menu, our menu can be a bit confusing," Arnold tells Marketing Daily. "What we find is that people often get set in their ways."

In essence, he says, some people may visit Chipotle when they're in the mood for a burrito. But if they want tacos, they may go somewhere else.

The centerpiece of the campaign is www.mychipotle.com, where customers can submit their favorite Chipotle combinations in a video. One video shows a construction worker who "enjoys working with his hands," which includes building his lunch. His personal burrito is "The Tradesman" -- "steak, fire-hot red tomatillo salsa, smoky pinto beans and tangy sour cream. Perfection." Onscreen text tallies up the number -- "60,000 combinations. Tell us about yours."

"Chipotle is fortunate to have a large base of fanatical customers," Arnold says about the submissions. "Through this campaign, one of the things we're looking to do is leverage their fanaticism and spread the word of what Chipotle is all about."

The videos currently on the Web site were submitted as the site was in a test phase. Later submissions will likely be used in later advertisements for the chain, Arnold said. The company also plans to add social media functionality (such as rating submissions, sharing via social networks and searchable content) in the future, he said.

The campaign, from agency Butler, Shine and Stern in Sausalito, Calif., includes print, online, radio and out-of-home components in several cities, including Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, Chicago and Cincinnati.