Taco Bell Puts Brits Bravery to the Test in ‘The Nacho Chop’

Publicis London and Taco Bell have collaborated on ‘The Nacho Chop’, inviting Britain’s bravest to embrace something bold and different - both in their food choices and hairstyles.

To celebrate the launch of their new menu item, Chicken Nachos, Taco Bell dared customers to show their bravery by getting a ‘Nacho Chop’, a stand-out haircut inspired by the triangular shape of the nachos.

The campaign is based on the insight that British people crave innovative meals, despite often returning to familiar flavours. Challenging the notion of the British public being cautious towards new flavours, the ‘Nacho Chop’ campaign centres around the slogan: “Our nachos are chicken, are you?”

Famed barber and former contestant of BBC’s The Traitors, Tyler Smith, carried out the daring trims for participants at Taco Bell’s Camden High Street restaurant in London. In return for stepping out of their comfort zone, participants were rewarded with up to a year’s supply of free Chicken Nachos for their courage. *

Bold teaser videos by Publicis London created anticipation in the lead up to the event, featuring slogans such as ‘Shave the date’ and ‘Fortune favours the bald’, while promotional posters displayed in-store drove customers to the event, which attracted five brave participants.

Publicis London created a 30-second social film showcasing the event, which launched across Taco Bell’s social platforms. Directed by Kit Baker, the film shows Taco Bell fans trying the Chicken Nachos, whilst brave participants are seen embracing the ‘Nacho Chop’ haircut.

After drip-feeding audiences with teaser social posts, the paid social campaign featured a livestream of the event across social platforms Instagram and TikTok, as well as content created by influencers.

Noel Bunting, chief creative officer at Publicis London, said: “With this campaign, we wanted Taco Bell to stand out in a way that’s unexpected, bold, and undeniably fun - all while staying true to its distinct brand personality. ‘The Nacho Chop’ isn’t just making an impression, it’s leaving one - in minds and on heads - embodying our fearless creativity that sparks conversations, deepens connections, and moves the world.”

Lucy Dee, marketing director, Taco Bell UK, added, “Brit’s often stick to their routines, so it’s understandable that trying something new can be daunting. At Taco Bell, we champion those who dare to be different and step away from the usual. ‘The Nacho Chop’ was a fun initiative by the brand to inspire everyone to venture beyond their comfort zones.”

‘The Nacho Chop’ is Publicis London’s latest work for Taco Bell, following on from 2024’s ‘The Meal Deal Tacover’, which challenged the status quo of the ‘meal deal’ and established Taco Bell as a brand for the audacious.

The campaign was a cross-agency collaboration with creative and social handled by Publicis London, consumer outreach and event logistics by Holy Wow PR and production by Prodigious.