The Firefly Music Festival came at a pivotal moment for Chipotle. Our brand took a significant leap forward with this event, enabling us to elevate our presence in the Mid-Atlantic, engage key customers, and execute one of the most ambitious initiatives in our history. The goal was to build trust following the food safety incidents, build the database, break-even on costs to execute, and elevate employee morale across departments.

The results exceeded expectations, delivering record-breaking outcomes. A standout success was the Ultimate Text2Win Sweepstakes, in partnership with The North Face which was the most successful campaign of it’s kind at the time. Other activations, such as the Pop-Up Taste Invaders Arcade, Premium Taco Booth, and Surprise & Delight Giveaways via a branded golf cart, generated buzz that kept our brand top of mind in a highly competitive environment and allowed us to cover most all of the costs associated with sponsoring and executing at this multi-day event. These efforts not only boosted engagement but also increased traffic to our regional restaurants, delivering measurable, tangible results.

As a leader, I championed this event, secured regional approval and buy-in, and managed cross-department collaboration to navigate its logistical complexities. I prioritized protecting the team from burnout by ensuring workloads were manageable while maintaining high standards of execution.

Firefly marked a turning point for team morale after a particularly challenging period for the company and brand and it built trust, credibility, and reach while strengthening our team connections and left a lasting impact. Many still call it one of the best moments of their careers, as do I. It was a powerful demonstration of what’s achievable when strategy, creativity, and teamwork align.