“Questions of science and progress don’t speak as loud as my heart” ~ Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’
An ad by Denver-based chain restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill has been named the best TV campaign in the world at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ad, titled Back to the Start, takes a haunting yet moving look at factory farming, reminding us just how far removed our food supply is from the farms of yore. The animation is set over an amazing Willie Nelson cover of Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist,’ which is a perfect match for the ad’s message. It depicts a farmer turning his family farm into a factory farm, realizing what he has done, and then transforming it back into an animal and environment-friendly one.
“It was timeless with heart impact and gut impact,” said Khai Meng Tham, the chairman of the jury. “The best winners at Cannes always have a message, I think, and factory farming is such a big issue everywhere in the world. For a fast food company to do this will, we hope, change the industry, change the world.” Bill Clinton, who was attending the event to give a seminar, named the campaign as his favorite as well.
Chipotle is well-known not only for its giant burritos but also for using as many natural and locally-sourced ingredients as possible. The company’s mission statement, Food With Integrity, covers all aspects of its business, from animal welfare to environmental issues. According to the document, it has a supply chain of over 7,000 farmers which helps it serve more naturally-raised meat without the use of antibiotics or added hormones than any other restaurant company in the U.S. Having eaten there myself, I can say that the food does taste a lot better than standard fast-food fare.
Whether or not you choose to eat animal products, I think we can agree that eliminating the factory farm model from the way we process food can only benefit us all. Check out the Chipotle ad below.
Image Credit:Chipotle