IRVINE, Calif., May 8, 2014 – Always expect the unexpected when it comes to the next Doritos® Locos Tacos.

Today, the new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch® Doritos® Locos Taco (DLT) will be available at Taco Bell® restaurants nationwide. The new taco features Taco Bell’s NEW spicy shredded chicken on the inside of the popular Cool Ranch Doritos taco shell. The Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT is the fourth offering within the brand’s most successful product platform ever – with more than 825 million sold since March 2012.

“The Doritos Locos Tacos continues to be widely popular, and after launching Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch and Fiery DLT, we knew it was time to put a different twist on the menu item,” said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer, Taco Bell. “We’ve innovated on the outside and now we’re innovating on the inside to make one of our best tasting tacos ever.”

The Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT is available exclusively at participating Taco Bell restaurants for a limited time only. The suggested retail price is $1.59 for Regular (170 calories; 9g total fat) and $1.89 for a Supreme (200 calories; 11g total fat). For people looking for lower-calorie, lower-fat options, Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT will be available Fresco Style offering 110 calories and 4g total fat. For complete nutritional information, visit www.tacobell.com/nutrition/information.

Additionally, since announcing the next DLT on April 13 via the first-ever “snap-by-snap” live film during the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, Taco Bell continues to support this product’s launch via innovations and brand firsts within social media platforms. Today, Taco Bell will be the first brand to produce a GIF comic book on its Tumblr that features 24 animated GIFs documenting the story from end to start. Late May will bring the brand’s first-ever internet scavenger hunt where consumers will have the chance to win custom designed items like Taco Bell socks from The Hundreds, as well as an exclusive DLT-themed t-shirt from PacSun. Tune in to Taco Bell’s social channels in the coming days to learn more on how to participate.

“When it comes to social media, we want our fans to feel like our friends, experiencing from us the latest cool and interesting news and trends,” added Brandt. “We have built a reputation as a brand willing to take risks and be unexpected – yet extraordinary – socially, and with the new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT, we are taking our established platforms like Tumblr to the next level.”

New television creative to support the launch of the new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT DLT entitled “Black Sheep” brings to life the intense, spicier alter ego of the original Cool Ranch DLT. The creative was produced by Deutsch LA and directed by acclaimed director Craig Gillespie. Additionally, the spot features Taco Bell Feed The Beat® band Big Data and their song “Dangerous (feat. Joywave),” as part of the brand’s on-going initiative to help artists gain exposure to the millions of people the brand reaches in its television advertising.

Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch DLT will be supported by television and digital advertising led by Deutsch L.A., in-store POP and packaging by FCBLA, as well as social and public relations support from DigitasLBi and Taylor respectively.