Here's another entry for the security-cam ad file: In what could perhaps pass for a case study on the power of storytelling, a Las Vegas taco restaurant turned footage of a real late-night burglary into a commercial about a couple of guys who just needed a snack.
Frijoles & Frecas Grilled Tacos added snarky captions to three minutes of film in which thieves toss rocks at glass doors, tear cash registers out of the wall and scramble around the restaurant.
"Poor guy just wants a taco," opens the copy, setting the video's dry, mocking tone. It concludes, "We take full responsibility for what our tacos cause people to do," this last punctuated by food porn and a single teardrop. "They are pretty amazing."
The ineptitude on display is part of what makes this a hit: YouTube commenters seem both thrilled that the criminals are too stupid to realize there's no cash in the drawers, and suddenly very interested in getting tacos of their own.
Still, the work is long and not entirely original; it could have made the same impact in a fraction of the time, as demonstrated by this 15-second ad for Kent's deli from 2013 (though that would-be thief was even more bungling).
But with over 3 million YouTube views in a little over 10 days, Frijoles & Frecas can still claim it made a viral ad for a minimal investment—making this a pretty efficient strategy for a small business.