Taco Bell reveals its fascinatingly cheesy new 'quesalupa' creation

Every city has its quirky small business personalities whose proudly corny advertising shticks are so memorable or weird that they reach celebrity status on local airwaves -- whether its a personal injury lawyer, a car dealership owner or a furniture store proprietor. 

During the Super Bowl this Sunday, five of those pitch-people in cities across America surprised viewers by dropping the act in the middle of one of their signature commercials and promoting a cheesy new creation from Taco Bell instead. 

The fast food chain paid Fort Worth attorney Bryan Wilson, Minneapolis comedian Fancy Ray, Cleveland furniture store owner Marc Brown, Virginia Beach car dealership mascot Mack Mack and Mr. Appliance of Eugene, Oregon to introduce Taco Bell's new "Quesalupa" to viewers in each of their regional markets.

Each of the spots aired just after Taco Bell's nationally broadcast commercial unveiled the new menu item -- a chalupa-quesadilla mash-up -- to the world.

The goal, said Deutsch L.A. executive creative director Brett Craig, is to make the new product seem like such a cultural phenomenon that even the big names in your neighborhood are talking about it. 

The idea fits well with the conceit of the national spot, which sought to align the "Quesalupa" with other cultural flashpoints of the past year or so.

"This thing's so big it's even infiltrating a local market spot in Oregon and taking over other people's commercials," Craig said. 

Many of the local personalities they picked had already gotten some traction on the Internet for their B-rate absurdity. Taco Bell chief marketing officer Marisa Thalberg said the people were picked more for their unique style than because of a particular market that the company wanted to hit.

"It's these people who run their own little fun TV ads or radio ads, and they're sort of so bad they're good," Thalberg said. "Everyone knows them -- they're part of your local market culture and lore."

Taco Bell is ultimately hoping that the ads will be memorable enough to transcend each of their local markets and get play nationally thanks to the Internet. Thalberg said they may even repurpose them for a national campaign in the future.

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