Chipotle has gone back to the “metaverse.” The food chain said it is the first restaurant brand to premiere a national TV ad in the metaverse, which in this case means Roblox. The ad is dubbed Unfolded, an animated short film featuring a cover by Halsey with the message of supporting sustainable agriculture.
Chipotle Mexican Grill had previously pledged $2 million to support educational programs at leading universities that advance the future of farming.
Unfolded highlights ways Chipotle’s Food With Integrity principles could help cultivate a better world. In the ad, Chipotle said it is giving free entrees to the first 50,000 fans, including but not limited to Chipotle Rewards members, who view the ad on Roblox.
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Halsey reimagined “She’s a Rainbow,” as music to the film. The ad showcases the importance of the farming community that grows real ingredients like those served in
Chipotle’s restaurants.
In conjunction with the film and as part of the commitment it announced in 2021 to contribute $5 million to support young farmers, Chipotle is donating $2 million across four leading universities, The Ohio State University, Cal State Monterey Bay, Colorado State University and the University of Florida, to support the future of farming. These donations are funded from Chipotle’s initiative to contribute 5% of profits from its sales of Tractor Beverages to support farmers.
Unfolding a better world
Inspired by the company’s purpose to Cultivate a Better World, “Unfolded” brings viewers through an animated world, diving into a Chipotle bag that unfolds into a paper world. The short film depicts industrial farms transformed into vibrant, polyculture farms with diverse and organic crops, symbolizing Chipotle’s efforts to support farmers who prioritize sustainable agricultural practices.
The brand serves Responsibly Raised proteins, and dairy from pasture-raised cows, as seen from an allegorical Chipotle truck moving through farmland on its way to its final destination. The film, created by
Venables Bell & Partners, ends with fresh, colorful produce being delivered to a Chipotle restaurant that is prepared fresh every day to nourish the community it resides in.
“I had a blast collaborating with Chipotle on this creative piece that brings attention to sustainable agriculture and allowed me to cover such an iconic song in the process,” said Halsey, in a statement.
Funding the future of sustainable agriculture
Chipotle created Unfolded to generate awareness for the future of sustainable agriculture. The short film displays agrivoltaics, the practice of using land for both agriculture and solar energy production, which is an example of an initiative the brand is supporting with its $2 million pledge.
Projects that will be supported by Chipotle’s four $500,000 contributions include The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is establishing an agrivoltaics pilot program by integrating solar panels with crop production to generate both electricity and agricultural commodities.
Chipotle is also supporting Cal State Monterey Bay College of Science, which is constructing a state-of-the-art greenhouse, which will conduct lab research, including for Chipotle’s innovative agriculture projects, over the next three to five years.
It is also supporting Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences, which is establishing the
Chipotle Future of Farming Fund at the Spur Campus in Denver to facilitate opportunities for K-12 students to explore careers in agriculture and research, and to explore solutions to food system challenges.
And it is supporting the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which is providing
two-year research grants to four graduate students pursuing sustainable agriculture projects that are focused on efforts to advance the future of food.
These donations are part of Chipotle’s larger commitment to give $5 million by the end of 2025 to support the future of farming, which Chipotle funds via its initiative to contribute 5% of profits from its sales of Tractor Beverage products to support farmers.
Through these donations, Chipotle intends to cultivate the next generation of farmers and support breakthrough sustainable agriculture projects.
Through March 31, guests in the U.S. can round up their order total to the next highest dollar amount on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com to support the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, which extends Chipotle’s commitment to make real food accessible to all including by providing scholarships to students enrolled in programs focused on sustainable food and agriculture.
Unfolded premiere in Roblox
Chipotle premiered Unfolded on Roblox today at 7 a.m. Pacific time in the virtual Carnitas Cinema within the Chipotle Burrito Builder experience. The brand created an immersive delivery side quest that rewards users with an admission ticket to watch the new short film inside the Carnitas Cinema. Up to the first 50,000 users who watch the film inside the immersive experience will be rewarded with a free entrée code. It is valid winners in the U.S. and Canada on the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com and Chipotle.ca.
How It Works
Roblox users will meet a Chipotle employee in the virtual Carnitas Cinema in Chipotle’s Burrito Builder world, who will instruct users to begin a quest to deliver a Chipotle order.
Users must deliver the order to its destination to earn their first reward: an admission ticket to view Unfolded in the Carnitas Cinema.
Up to the first 50,000 Roblox users who successfully complete the task and watch the Unfolded film in the Carnitas Cinema will earn a free entrée code that can be used by winners at checkout on the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com or Chipotle.ca.
Chipotle’s Burrito Builder can be accessed at: www.roblox.com/chipotle.