Taco Bell chihuahua
Gidget, nicknamed the Taco Bell Chihuahua, was an advertising figure and mascot for Taco Bell from August 1997 to July 2000. The character she played was developed by TBWA. The Chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico.
History
In August 1997, Taco Bell used the dog in one advertisement in the Northeastern United States. The advertising campaign began during a peak in the Burger wars, in which several fast food chains were engaged in a large advertisement competition against each other. The dog was made to speak through special effects. Her advertising catchphrase was "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!". Her voice was provided by Carlos Alazraqui, who says that the voice is a cross between Hungarian-born actor Peter Lorre and Ren Höek, the cartoon chihuahua from The Ren & Stimpy Show, with a touch of Anthony Quinn from Requiem for a Heavyweight. The dog also started two additional catchphrases: "Yeah, drop the Chalupa!" and "Viva Gorditas!" In a noted crossover with the 1998 Godzilla film, the dog tried to trap the monster in a box, goading the beast with the phrase, "Here, lizard, lizard, lizard!", only to see Godzilla's size and respond, "Uh-oh, I think I need a bigger box.", and another Godzilla crossover involving him making an order through a drive-thru speaker on Godzilla's tail, making an order too large for the workers.Popularity
The figure grew popular, so much so that talking toy figures of the dog were produced and sold at Taco Bell locations during 1998 to 1999, as well as other versions at other stores, and "Yo quiero " became a recognized piece of popular culture.Controversies
Some Latin Americans accused the dog of being a cultural stereotype. Commercials that depicted the dog as a bandido with a sombrero or as a revolutionary wearing a beret were seen as particularly insensitive. Mario G. Obledo, a civil rights leader, called for a boycott of Taco Bell if the company did not end the ad campaign.In July 2000, Taco Bell ended the chihuahua advertisements, ended its relationship with their creator TBWA, and replaced the company's president, after same-store sales fell by 6% in the second quarter of 2000, the largest such decline in Taco Bell history. It was incorrectly rumored that Taco Bell ended the commercials because the dog died. Voice actor Tom Kenny, who is a friend of Alazraqui, said that Hispanic advocacy groups lobbying for the end of the campaign led to the cancelation of the Taco Bell dog. Other reports say the use of the dog was discontinued because it failed to increase Taco Bell's revenue stream in spite of the dog's popularity.