El Pollo Loco narrows search for new Advertising Agency.

El Pollo Loco, Inc. announced it has narrowed its search for a new advertising agency to three Southern California contenders: Hollywood-based Goodness Mfg., Los Angeles-based McCann West/Casanova Pendrill, and Santa Monica-based RPA. This news follows the flame-grilled chicken leader’s announcement last month that it had retained the services of SelectResources International (SRI), a nationally acclaimed consulting firm specializing in agency search and relationship management, to conduct an advertising agency review on its behalf.

A decision identifying El Pollo Loco’s new advertising agency-of-record is expected in February. The selected agency will handle strategic marketing and communication needs for the nation’s leading flame-grilled chicken chain, including English- and Spanish-language creative (broadcast and digital), in-restaurant merchandising, and local restaurant marketing.

El Pollo Loco’s current advertising agencies, Krueger Communications for general audience advertising and cruz/kravetz:IDEAS for Hispanic advertising, elected not to participate in the review. El Pollo Loco also works with ID Media, the nation’s largest direct response media services company. This work is not in review at this time. El Pollo Loco recently hired MBMG as its media strategy and buying partner for general market and Hispanic media beginning in 2011.

Commenting on the company’s advertising agency search, Mark Hardison, Vice President of Marketing for El Pollo Loco, Inc. said, “We are incredibly impressed with the caliber of our agency finalists and eager to see the culmination of their creative talent in a brand challenge we will assign shortly. From this process, we will select a single advertising agency that will provide a strategic, total market approach for El Pollo Loco that effectively captures and integrates all aspects of our brand communication.”