Brief:

• Chipotle Mexican Grill's annual "Boorito" Halloween celebration this year includes a branded hashtag challenge on TikTok, the social video app that has become a key part of the burrito chain's promotions this year. The TikTok Transformation contest asks Chipotle fans to post videos showing "before and after" shots of getting into costume, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• The restaurant chain is awarding free burritos for a year to five TikTok users whose videos receive the most likes on the video-sharing app. Videos must have the #Boorito hashtag and be posted during the contest period, which runs Oct. 26-31.
• Chipotle enlisted influencers including Zach King and Brittany Broski to promote the challenge with their own branded posts. The "Boorito" event offers discounts to customers who wear a costume while visiting one of its restaurants on Halloween. Trick-or-treaters can get a burrito, bowl, salad or tacos for $4 and earn Chipotle Rewards, from 3 p.m. to closing time on Oct. 31.

Insight:

Chipotle's annual "Boorito" celebration this year builds on the chain's past successes with branded hashtag challenges on TikTok, which is especially popular among U.S. teens. Chipotle is among the five most popular restaurant brands for teens, according to Piper Jaffray's semi-annual "Taking Stock With Teens" survey, making TikTok a key marketing channel for the chain.

Chipotle's return to TikTok suggests the brand is finding success with campaigns on the app. The restaurant chain created the #GuacDance challenge to coincide with National Avocado Day, when it offered guacamole on any entrée purchased through its app or website. The challenge urged guacamole fans to show off dance moves dedicated to avocados while using the "Guacamole Song" soundtrack from a viral video by children's musician Dr. Jean. The record-breaking campaign notched 250,000 video submissions and 430 million video starts during a six-day run.

Previously, the brand's "lid-flipping" challenge, which urged customers to post videos of themselves flipping items that Chipotle uses to package food, sparked 110,00 user-generated video submissions and 104 million video starts in its first six days. On that campaign, Chipotle partnered with social influencer David Dobrik.

By partnering with influencers like King and Broski, Chipotle can extend the viral reach of the campaign as their followers post their own videos and urge friends to participate in the challenge to win free burritos for a year. King, who became a star on YouTube and Vine with videos of humorous magic tricks, brought his audience to TikTok and now has 24.7 million followers. Brands are taking notice, with snack maker Kind enlisting his help this week on a branded hashtag challenge that is going viral. Broski, who became an overnight sensation as the "Kombucha Girl" with a 15-second viral video showing her taste-test of the fermented beverage, has 1.4 million followers.