Ep 66: Tim Hackbardt is the Chief Marketing Officer for Del Taco

Oct 5

Perfect timing has never been better personified than in Jack in the Box’s acquisition of Del Taco. What started as a cheaper foil of Taco Bell, Del Taco has since grown into a reputable franchise of its own, boasting almost 600 locations nationwide. Today’s guest, Tim Hackbardt, is the Chief Marketing Officer at Del Taco, and in this episode, he tells us just how well the two brands are collaborating after the aforementioned acquisition was finalized in March 2022. We dive deeper into how the acquisition affected marketing in particular, before Tim relays an incredible tale of how a new Del Taco brand finally made it onto the menu after 20 years of failed attempts, paving the way for an impressive name-change campaign. Tim has a passion for being an endurance athlete, and he explains why his dedication to pushing his body to its limits also helps him in his role as CMO. We learn how he feels about brand versus performance marketing, an iconic campaign that he is most proud of, why Del Taco has chosen to fully embrace all things digital, and the top priorities for restaurant marketers in the post-COVID era. Tim also has some inspirational advice to share with aspiring marketers and an unbelievable job opportunity to offer to listeners. Tune in today to learn more!

Key Points From This Episode:

A look at Del Taco’s hybrid office system.
A fun fact about Tim that many might not know.
Tim’s perspective on Del Taco’s acquisition by Jack in the Box.
How the acquisition has affected marketing in particular.
Del Taco’s new brand and their temporary name change.
Persevering through multiple failures.
Parallels between Tim’s hobby as an endurance athlete and his job as CMO.
How Tim approaches brand versus performance marketing.
One campaign that he is most proud of: Del Taco Dan.
How Tim and Del Taco are embracing the shift to digital.
Why he chooses to prioritize local store marketing.
Digital strategy when entering a new market and a franchisee’s obligation to spend locally.
The top three priorities for restaurant marketers moving forward, post-COVID.
How operations and marketing share the responsibility of customer experience.
Tim’s advice for young, aspiring marketers.
Everything you need to know about the Social Media Director vacancy at Del Taco!

Tweetables:

“[The remote work system] is a 100% a recruiting advantage. Our pool was in Southern California. Now our pool is wherever great talent is.” — @timhackbardt [0:03:47]

“[A] big idea can be very scary. If you break it down into small pieces, focus on those small pieces, and get everybody else focused on those small pieces to put the puzzle together, you'll get to the end of the journey.” — @timhackbardt [0:20:38]

“Technology and media, it's moving fast. It'll continue to move fast. It'll probably move even faster. You got to stay on top of it. Definitely find the right people, players, and teams to be able to take advantage of those things.” — @timhackbardt [0:35:50]

“Do hard things, because hard things are going to make you grow. It's going to make you smarter. It's going to make you humble. It's going to make your company appreciate you, and you're going to have good stories to tell other people who may want to hire you in the future.” — @timhackbardt [0:38:34]