Overview

Founded in Darlinghurst, Sydney, Mad Mex has grown into one of Australia’s leading Mexican QSR franchises, with more than 75 restaurants nationwide. The brand has built a strong reputation for quality, bold flavours and a memorable customer experience.

Its franchise model empowers local owners to connect with their communities while being supported by national brand systems, technology, and marketing operations.

 

The Challenge

Through customer research, Mad Mex identified two core barriers to growth:

• Brand positioning was not clearly resonating with customers
• A disconnected tech stack created a fragmented customer experience 
   

This limited personalisation, reduced marketing efficiency, and weakened loyalty engagement. Mad Mex needed a simpler, more rewarding loyalty experience supported by connected customer data.
 

Campaign solution

Mad Mex re-launched its loyalty program and rebuilt its digital ecosystem to create a connected, customer-first experience.
Working alongside technology partners including Taguchi, TASK and others, the brand introduced:

• A simplified dollar-based rewards model
• A new loyalty app and website experience
• Real-time customer data integration across channels
• Automated, personalised communications
• Smarter acquisition and retention marketing 
   

Taguchi became the central customer engagement platform, connecting transactional, behavioural, and campaign data to power personalised journeys across email, push, and SMS.
 

1. Loyalty Program Re-design
The new loyalty model focused on delivering faster, clearer value to members. A program that now offers customers more value on every transaction than any other QSR loyalty program in market. 
Key changes included:

•  Members earn rewards on every dollar spent
• Reward milestones reduced from ~$150 spend to ~$50 spend
• $5 welcome reward after first purchase
• A fan favourite in the Birthday Burrito returned to celebrate a Mad Member’s Birthday  month 
   

This transformed every transaction into an engagement opportunity.
 

3. Connected Technology Ecosystem
Mad Mex rebuilt its digital foundation to create a unified customer experience.
The project included integration across:
•    POS platform & loyalty app (TASK) 
•    Website (BlueRock) 
•    CRM and customer engagement platform (Taguchi) 
Taguchi acted as the central customer engagement hub, integrating directly with the POS and digital ecosystem to:
•    Capture real-time transactional data 
•    Trigger automated customer journeys 
•    Deliver contextual email, push, and SMS campaigns 
•    Power personalised offers and reward reminders 
•    Reduce wasted acquisition spend by syncing audiences with Google Ads and Meta 
This enabled Mad Mex to move from mass communications to highly targeted, behaviour-based engagement.

 <re-launch ecosystem summary image>

4. Sophisticated Customer Communications
With Taguchi powering customer engagement, Mad Mex introduced automated lifecycle marketing across multiple channels.
Key improvements included:
•    Transaction-triggered member journeys 
•    Automated reward reminders 
•    Personalised promotions and local offers 
•    Real-time customer communications 
The result was a more connected and personalised member experience at scale.
 

3. Connected Technology Ecosystem
Mad Mex rebuilt its digital foundation to create a unified customer experience.
The project included integration across:
•    POS platform & loyalty app (TASK) 
•    Website (BlueRock) 
•    CRM and customer engagement platform (Taguchi) 
Taguchi acted as the central customer engagement hub, integrating directly with the POS and digital ecosystem to:
•    Capture real-time transactional data 
•    Trigger automated customer journeys 
•    Deliver contextual email, push, and SMS campaigns 
•    Power personalised offers and reward reminders 
•    Reduce wasted acquisition spend by syncing audiences with Google Ads and Meta 
This enabled Mad Mex to move from mass communications to highly targeted, behaviour-based engagement.

 <re-launch ecosystem summary image>

4. Sophisticated Customer Communications
With Taguchi powering customer engagement, Mad Mex introduced automated lifecycle marketing across multiple channels.
Key improvements included:
•    Transaction-triggered member journeys 
•    Automated reward reminders 
•    Personalised promotions and local offers 
•    Real-time customer communications 
The result was a more connected and personalised member experience at scale.
 

5. “Unmask the Luchador” Membership Drive campaign
Launched later that year, the “Unmask the Luchador” campaign was designed to accelerate loyalty acquisition.
Customers who purchased in-store received a scratch card revealing an instant prize, with every entry guaranteed to win. The major prize was an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Mexico.
Taguchi powered the campaign’s complex customer validation and communications journey, including:
•    Real-time member and coupon validation 
•    Automated reward fulfilment 
•    Personalised email and in-app messaging 
•    Dynamic communications based on prize type and customer status 
This ensured a seamless customer experience across every touchpoint.