Mexican-themed restaurant chain Taco John’s is launching a new text messaging campaign with a healthy living theme to drive further growth of its digital loyalty program My Town Mania.

Taco John’s latest push for My Town Mania is built around the introduction of a new limited-time menu item, the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap. Customers will have an opportunity to receive coupon offers and healthy living tips on their mobile phones during its six-week duration.

“The Healthy Living tips campaign allows us to begin building customer profiles around preferences,” said Robin Temple, director of message delivery at Sioux Falls, SD-based Lawrence & Schiller, Taco John’s agency of record. “Customer segmentation will open the door to sending targeted messages based on the menu items each customer prefers.”

The Healthy Living mobile promotion runs in conjunction with an ongoing mobile program that delivers bi-weekly messages containing offers and promotions to loyalty members who opt-in to receive them.

The goal of both mobile initiatives is to increase Cheyenne, WY-based Taco John’s customer database and segment customers by community.

Videos earn points
The My Town Mania digital loyalty program was launched in July 2010. The platform allows Taco John’s customers to share photos and videos of their communities incorporating Taco John’s food in order to earn points.

By earning points, members have the opportunity to earn rewards such as free food, gift cards and limited-edition Taco John’s merchandise.

Customers receive a free order of Taco John’s signature side item, Potato Oles, when they opt in to the program. They can also share their ZIP code to receive messages and offers directly from their local franchisee.

My Town Mania is accessible through a Facebook application or the MyTacoJohns.com Web site.

The program has grown 2,000 percent since its launch.

The Healthy Living tips initiative includes a series of six text messages that all have a healthy living theme and coupon offers.

It is being supported with point-of-purchase materials and beverage cups encouraging customers to Join My Town Mania.

Taco John’s operates and franchises more than 425 quick-service restaurants in 25 states in the central and north central sections of the United States.

The customer data collected by Taco John through the effort, such as redemption rates and customer preferences with regard to menu items and how they want to receive offers, will help it improve its marketing efforts, per Ms. Temple.

“The mobile program creates another channel to communicate directly with core customers,” Ms. Temple said.

“The lives of consumers are busier than ever, and they rely on their mobile devices to help them save time and money,” she said. “By delivering coupons and promotions directly to their mobile device, we give our customers a reason to visit our stores.

Final Take
Lawrence and Schiller’s Scott Lawrence