Christopher Brandt

Chief Brand Officer & President, Chipotle Mexican Grill

Search every verified Christopher Brandt interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2021 interview, Christopher Brandt, then Chief Marketing Officer of Chipotle, discussed his marketing philosophy and the brand's strategy. Brandt stated that his "number one rule of marketing is just: don't be lame," adding that he would "rather do nothing than be lame." He described his role as overseeing advertising, media buys, and innovation, and noted that Chipotle owns all of its restaurants, which he said allows for streamlined decision-making. Brandt said the brand's purpose is "cultivating a better world" and expressed a belief that "good guys are supposed to win." Brandt discussed Chipotle's approach to influencer partnerships, stating he does not want to pay an influencer who is "not a Chipotle consumer at heart already." He noted that the company had not previously had a marketing analytics function, but that its digital growth enabled rapid testing and learning. Brandt described data as "a tool" rather than "the ultimate decision maker," and emphasized the importance of team chemistry in hiring, saying he looks for people who would pass a "conference room test" of being pleasant to work with on a Friday afternoon. He also mentioned that Chipotle had approximately 2,800 restaurants at the time and believed the company could grow to 6,000 in the United States while beginning to expand overseas.