Chipotle — the hugely popular burrito restaurant chain — has created a free iOS game and they are going all out in the marketing of it. This haunting short film, set to a Fiona Apple song, “Pure Imagination,” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” is on its way to becoming viral.
About the project:
?The Scarecrow? is at once an addicting game, a poignant short film, and a project that reflects what we believe in. The city of Plenty is a glimpse at a future that may not be far off. Processed food, animal confinement, and the use of synthetic growth hormones, non-therapeutic antibiotics, and toxic pesticides are rampant in our food supply. Educating people about alternatives is a journey for the Scarecrow, and it continues to be a journey for us.
Moonbot Studios, the creator of the game, describes it:
Created in collaboration with Chipotle Mexican Grill, ?The Scarecrow? is an arcade-style adventure game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and a companion animated short film. Both pieces depict a scarecrow’s journey to bring wholesome food back to the people by providing an alternative to the processed food that dominates his world. The film’s soundtrack is a re-interpretation of ?Pure Imagination,? performed by Fiona Apple.
The film is set in a dystopian fantasy world where all food production is controlled by a fictional industrial giant Crow Foods. Scarecrows have been displaced from their traditional role of protecting food and are now servants to the crows and their evil plans to dominate the food system. Dreaming of something better, a lone scarecrow sets out to provide an alternative to the unsustainable processed food from the factory. In the game, players will accompany the Scarecrow on his journey through four levels and deliver fresh food to the City of Plenty’s citizens.
Since 1999 — when founder Steve Ellis first learned how pork is raised in the U.S. — the Chipotle mission, “Food with Integrity,”?has been to use food that’s healthy for its customers and for the planet. Earlier this year, Chipotle became the first restaurant chain to try to rid its menu of GMO foods?and to post ingredients on its website that will inform the public of any GMO items that the restaurant still uses.
While using a variety of fresh ingredients remains the foundation of our menu, we believe that “fresh is not enough, anymore.” Now we want to know the sources for all of our ingredients, so that we can be sure they are as flavorful as possible while we are mindful of the environmental and societal impact of our business. We call this idea, Food With Integrity, and it guides how we run our business.
You can download the Chipotle Scarecrow game on iTunes?and you?can watch the story behind the making of the video and the game.
Enjoy the short film.
