Irvine, CA - A Taco Bell commissioned "Changing Tastes of America Survey," was designed to capture differences between the older generation and the country's newest generation of consumers, the Echo Boomers. It reveals that today's 18-34 year olds have refined and redefined the lifestyles they inherited from their parents - expressing changes in tastes from favorite foods to leisure activities.
According to the national survey conducted by Directions Data Research, Echo Boomer's tastes have changed dramatically in the last five years and from their parents in a number of ways. They are two and a half times more likely to choose surfing the net than their parents who would prefer to read a book; they find kick boxing two to three times more interesting than aerobics; nearly 50% of Echo Boomers are eating more white meat chicken; 58% prefer listening to music over watching television; 52% prefer rock climbing over tennis; and 38% are eating more Mexican-style food. In addition, Echo Boomers are eating more white meat chicken than red meat at a younger age than their parents did before them.
The survey was commissioned by Taco Bell to better understand the Echo Boomers tastes because of their growing impact as trend setters in the marketplace. Taco Bell is responding by introducing new all white meat chicken in its popular chicken products. In fact, to encourage consumers to taste the change, the company is expected to give away 10-million free samples of the new chicken from August 18-22 with any purchase (at participating restaurants, while supplies last).
The National Broiler Council also has seen an increase in white meat chicken consumption. According to Richard Lobb, Director of Communications of the National Broiler Council, "Breast Meat is very popular along all segments of the population, and we are very pleased to see that young people in particular are developing a taste for chicken meat as an alternative to hamburgers."
According to the National Broiler Council, while the average American ate only 28 pounds of chicken in 1960, per capita consumption has more than doubled to 74 pounds in 1997. Americans now eat more chicken than beef, pork and seafood. According to the USDA, that number could rise above 85 pounds by the year 2000.
Taco Bell will support the new all white meat chicken products with two thirty-second commercials created by TBWA Chiat/Day. The first spot entitled "Pirate" stars the popular talking Chihuahua who creatively interferes with consumers television programming in order to persuade them to "Taste The Change" in Taco Bell chicken products.
A second television commercial called "Dream" will air featuring the Chihuahua who dreams of the chicken craze across the country and is awakened only to find that he had fallen asleep on an empty stomach and was dreaming of the new Taco Bell chicken.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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