General Mills-owned Tex-Mex food brand Old El Paso is celebrating the joyful, unapologetic messiness of dinnertime by encouraging the nation to gather around the dining table and reclaim those moments of authentic connection that come with sharing a meal.
“The Crunch is Calling” is a new campaign by VCCP Blue, which has held the international account since 2022. It aims to transform dinnertime into a more memorable, fun experience full of authentic connection.
At the heart of the campaign is a 30″ film that opens with a woman at her dinner table biting down on a crunchy taco which creates a crunch that echoes throughout the town. From a woman working in an office, to a barber giving a trim and a gardener driving a mower, the crunch of an Old El Paso taco acts as a calling sound that these three characters immediately respond to as they race each other to the dinner table.
Directed by J Marlow through Outsider, in collaboration with VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear, the film is largely centred outside of the home where the crunch is designed to act as an irresistible pull that cuts through everyday life to bring people back home and connect with one another over a shared meal.
The campaign spans TV, social, digital, online video, OOH, DOOH and in-store, and is running across the UK, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, UAE, South Africa, Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Panama.
Old El Paso business unit director Rodrigo Patiño said: “We’re taking the idea that dinner is the ultimate community ritual and turning it into a call to action. ‘The Crunch is Calling’ celebrates the unique power of Mexican food to cut through the everyday humdrum and bring people together.
“It’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s a reminder that the best connections happen when you’re hands-on, heads-up and fully engaged. We’re ready for the nation to hear the crunch and come together.”
VCCP Blue executive creative director Ross Neil added: “Bringing this campaign to life with Old El Paso has been an absolute blast. It represents a creative leap for the brand into a more vibrant, messy, authentic space, and it’s a testament to a partnership that just keeps getting stronger. We’re incredibly proud of the work, and, trust us, this is only the beginning.”
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