'Chipotle Is My Life': Why Chipotle Used a 7-Year-Old Meme for New T-shirts

If you were big into Vine in 2014, you might remember the little kid who proudly declared that “Chipotle is my life.”

Chipotle has not only dug up the memory of social media platforms past, but also reconnected with the boy, Roy Murray, for some branded apparel and a coordinating TikTok campaign.

How it started: How it's going: pic.twitter.com/GrvUJAQTvx

— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) February 18, 2021

The launch includes the addition of the “Chipotle Is My Life” bowl, modeled after young Murray’s go-to order. Murray reprised the video for TikTok and Chipotle added the audio as a TikTok sound.

“The phrase ‘Chipotle is My Life’ has become synonymous with love for the brand, and we’re always looking for ways to tap into our passionate fan base to drive culture,” Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer for Chipotle, said, according to QSR Magazine. “Our new collaboration with Roy pays homage to one of our first viral super fans, and celebrates our 20 million Chipotle Rewards members.”

Now 12 years old, Murray has also been given the exclusive Chipotle Celebrity Card, which provides him with free Chipotle.

It’s the least Chipotle could do, considering they’re using his face for T-shirts.

Always paying close attention to finer details when it comes to merchandise, Chipotle has launched the shirt in a white color it calls “Rice.” It also used that classic early 2010s meme generator font for added nostalgia.

Chipotle has really progressed the sport of fast food merchandising. Its influence is certainly evident in others going the extra mile, blurring the line between just finding ways to promote food and being a bona fide merchandising brand on its own with its separate "Chipotle Goods" e-commerce store.

And Chipotle has proved that you need to do more than just tap into holidays or special events for merchandising. Find something that exemplifies your brand identity and its story, like Murray’s ode to Chipotle, and use that for a marketing campaign that resonates with fans, even if they’re not actually pictured on the T-shirt.