Old El Paso leans into Taco Tuesday

Old El Paso is trying to own May 5 this year by turning the overlap of Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday into a campaign it calls “Taco Totality.” (generalmills.com) General Mills said the calendar crossover last happened in 2020 and will not happen again until 2037. Old El Paso announced the push on April 22, less than two weeks before this year’s May 5 holiday. (generalmills.com) The brand tied the moment to a product launch: Old El Paso Stand ’N Stuff Taco Shells and taco seasoning made with the flavor of TABASCO Brand Pepper Sauce. It also built a giveaway around a “Taco Totality Gear Box.” (generalmills.com) (shots.net) That box leans hard into the eclipse joke. General Mills said it includes a T-shirt, a neck pillow for “taco tilt,” and protective glasses for chopping onions and jalapeños. (generalmills.com) Old El Paso also hired actor Randy Havens to explain the promotion in short social videos styled like mock science lessons. Trade outlet Shots said the campaign includes a microsite and a countdown to May 5. (generalmills.com) (shots.net) The broader play is clear: get shoppers to celebrate at home, with branded shells, sauces, rice, beans and toppings instead of treating Cinco de Mayo as a bar-only occasion. Old El Paso said its May 5 menu pitch includes shells, beans, sauces and rice sold nationwide. (generalmills.com) Other packaged-food brands are chasing the same dinner-table moment. SOMOS is selling taco simmer sauce it says can change “Taco Tuesdays,” alongside rice, beans, salsa and enchilada sauces positioned for quick Mexican meals. (eatsomos.com 1) (eatsomos.com 2) V&V Supremo, a longtime Mexican-style dairy and chorizo maker, is pushing cheese, crema and chorizo products alongside taco-heavy recipes for home cooks. Its site is featuring dishes such as flank steak tacos with crunchy cheese for Cinco de Mayo. (vvsupremo.com 1) (vvsupremo.com 2) So the story is less about one holiday than about a rare date on the calendar giving food brands a clean excuse to sell a full taco night. Old El Paso just got there first, with a name, a countdown and a box of joke merch built for social media. (generalmills.com) (shots.net)