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Library/Campaign/Taco Bell: Freeing Taco T***day
Grade B22 sourcesHIS-00353

Taco Bell: Freeing Taco T***day

Campaign · 2023 · Notable

53Editable slideCertificate

Taco Bell’s trademark challenge freed Taco Tuesday for restaurants in all 50 states.

Clip · Steve Lehto on YouTube

Taco Bell

@tacobell · May 16, 2023

feeling chaotic…taco tuesday.

28470
Post · @tacobell on X
Clip · Taco Bell on YouTube
Taco *Bleep* (Commercial) | Taco Bell
Taco Bell on YouTube
Taco Bell’s legal petition against Taco John’s, released with the May 16 launch announcement.
Taco Bell
Sign the Petition
Change.org / Taco Bell
Taco Bell Launches Bid to Cancel ‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademarks (1)
Bloomberg Law
Taco Bell is fighting to cancel the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark | CNN Business
CNN
A sign hangs at a Taco Bell on May 23, 2014, in Mount Lebanon, Pa. Declaring a mission to liberate "Taco Tuesday" for all, Taco Bell asked U.S. regulators Tuesday, May 16, 2023, to force…
NPR via KPBS
Taco Bell Sues to Cancel 'Taco Tuesday' Trademark
Steve Lehto on YouTube
Taco Bell’s battle to free the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark is officially over | CNN Business
CNN
Rethink and Serviceplan Germany Lead Finalists For ADC 103rd Annual Awards
The One Club
Taco Bell | Freeing Taco T***day
The One Club / Deutsch LA and Taco Bell
Taco Bell wants to liberate Taco Tuesday for everyone
Guilty Eats / FanSided

Spread Score

How it works
Reach75Contagion35Breadth60Velocity41Longevity3753

Numbers

Earned media impressions, entrant claim; not unique people
21B
Self-reported · The One Club / Deutsch LA and Taco Bell
Seed to peak
7 days
May 16 ’23 to May 23 ’23
Platforms
7
Started on Open web
Origin
Mixed
Food & beverage

Mechanics

  • ControversyPrimary
  • Pairing
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Transgression

How it spread

Trace the origin

Taco Bell and Deutsch LA made a trademark challenge into a campaign, adding a public petition, LeBron James ads and partnered TikTok explainers. Reddit users and a YouTube lawyer discussed it. Both trademark holders surrendered, freeing the phrase nationwide by October.

Google searchesApr ’23MayJunJulAugSepOctNovFeb ’24AprPeakOpen webPressXRedditYouTubeTVRetail
Open webPressXRedditYouTubeTVRetail

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (16)

  1. May 2023

    Taco Bell seed · May 16 ’23

    Taco Bell published its legal challenge and invited fans to sign a petition to free Taco Tuesday.[1][2][3]

    Sign the Petition
    Open the first post ↗

  2. CNN / Bloomberg Law press · May 16 ’23

    CNN and Bloomberg Law covered Taco Bell’s bid to cancel the two Taco Tuesday registrations.[4][5]

    Taco Bell is fighting to cancel the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark | CNN Business

  3. Taco Bell (@tacobell) owner response · May 16 ’23

    Taco Bell posted “feeling chaotic…taco tuesday” on X during its campaign launch.[10]

    Taco Bell wants to liberate Taco Tuesday for everyone
Changelogupdated Oct 12 ’26
  1. 2026-10-12Added: 16 events, 20 sources · Score 53
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Food & beverage
Region
US
Earned media impressions, entrant claim; not unique people
21B
Self-reported · The One Club / Deutsch LA and Taco Bell
Evidence
Grade B

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2.4M views

New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

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Google searchesApr ’23MayJunJulAugSepOctNovFeb ’24AprPeakOpen webPressXRedditYouTubeTVRetail
Open webPressXRedditYouTubeTVRetail

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. May 2023

    Taco Bell seed · May 16 ’23

    Taco Bell published its legal challenge and invited fans to sign a petition to free Taco Tuesday.[1][2][3]

    Sign the Petition
    Open the first post ↗

  2. CNN / Bloomberg Law press · May 16 ’23

    CNN and Bloomberg Law covered Taco Bell’s bid to cancel the two Taco Tuesday registrations.[4][5]

    Taco Bell is fighting to cancel the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark | CNN Business

  3. Taco Bell (@tacobell) owner response · May 16 ’23

    Taco Bell posted “feeling chaotic…taco tuesday” on X during its campaign launch.[10]

    Taco Bell wants to liberate Taco Tuesday for everyone

  1. platform jump · May 16 ’23

  2. backlash · May 17 ’23

Join free to see the other 13 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

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Why it worked

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