Chipotle: Twitter Hacking a Publicity Stunt

Scrolling through Chipotle's Twitter feed on Sunday was sort of like looking at some random tweetbot's mental breakdown. The fast-casual burrito chain's official Twitter account @ChipotleTweets started spewing some nonsensical weirdness, making followers think the site was hacked, much as Burger King's was earlier in the year. The tweets included...

By Laine Doss

July 25, 2013

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Scrolling through Chipotle's Twitter feed on Sunday was sort of like looking at some random tweetbot's mental breakdown.

The fast-casual burrito chain's official Twitter account @ChipotleTweets started spewing some nonsensical weirdness, making followers think the site was hacked, much as Burger King's was earlier in the year.

The tweets included random words and instructions like:

twitter friends search bar
— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) July 21, 2013

twitter Find avocado store in Arv
— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) July 21, 2013

Hi sweetie, can you please pick up some lime, salt, and onions? twitter
— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) July 21, 2013

Then, some guy named Joe made everything all better:

Please return to your usual #chipotle love and thanks for your patience with us today. - Joe
— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) July 21, 2013

At first, social media and tech site Mashable reported that the site might have been hacked. Then, Mashable got confirmation from Chipotle that the entire thing was a stunt to garner attention for its 20th-anniversary celebration.

Chipotle representative Chris Arnold told Mashable, "We thought that people would pay attention, that it would cut through people's attention and make them talk, and it did that. It was definitely thought out: We didn't want it to be harmful or hateful or controversial."

Yes... but did it work? Well, according to Arnold, Chipotle added more than 4,000 followers the day of the stunt hack -- up from its usual 250 or so new daily followers. Also, the hacked tweets were retweeted about 12,000 times.

All this was to lead people to Chipotle's online treasure hunt, Avenruritto, where players who solve puzzles can win free burritos for 20 years. Aventurrito runs through August 2, so you might as well play since the company went through so much trouble to get you to notice.

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Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, covering the restaurant and bar scene in South Florida. She has been featured on Cooking Channel’s Eat Street and Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. Doss won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature on what it’s like to wait tables. In a previous life, she appeared off-Broadway and shook many a cocktail as a bartender at venues in South Florida and New York City. When she’s not writing, you can find Doss running some marathon then celebrating at the nearest watering hole.

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