Pizza Hut continues momentum in Australia with new marketing campaign via The Monkeys

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Pizza1.jpgPizza Hut is breaking new ground in marketing its brand in Australia, committing to a range of creative digital campaigns, developed by The Monkeys, that mark a departure from advertising strategies used previously. This coincides with Pizza Hut’s launch today of the Personal Pan Pizza, a quality pizza-for-one offering geared to the lucrative lunchtime market.  

Says Phil Reed, new CEO, Pizza Hut: “It’s an exciting time for Pizza Hut in Australia – we’re just scratching the surface of the many creative ways we can position such a trusted brand in the digital media landscape.”

Pizza2.jpgThe Personal Pan Pizza launch is being supported with contextual messaging across digital media in transit and other environments, social media platforms and publisher-created content. In one digital campaign launched this week – a first for Pizza Hut globally – the brand has partnered with file-transfer platform WeTransfer to place Pizza Hut messaging across the platform.

 

In a new twist to the convention of sharing pizza with others, and to capture people’s attention, Pizza Hut has developed a media strategy focussed on the insight that people often share both media experiences and pizza, they might enjoy both more if they don’t have to share. The campaign uses messaging within transit environments reading – “You might have to share this seat, but you don’t have to share this pizza”.

 

Says Reed: “The Personal Pan PizzaPizza3.jpg hints at the way forward for our brand – the coming together of great product innovation with digital marketing smarts. Sharing will always be the preferred option for pizza but with Personal Pan we have flipped convention. The media plan brings a new spin to pizza consumption and we’re looking forward to seeing its impact in the market.”

Within months of appointing new CEO Phil Reed, recent Pizza Hut Australia financial indicators are reflecting a significant uplift in comparative growth in same store sales and transactions.

 

In a food and restaurant industry career spanning more than 20 years, Reed has worked as a turnaround specialist across Europe and Asia with quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands including McDonald’s, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

 

Moving to Australia after transforming Pizza Hut in the Philippines to the best-performing network in the Asia Pacific, Reed joins CFO George van Wyk, CMO Chet Patel, general counsel and chief corporate affairs officer Joanne Moss, and chief franchise partnership officer Glenn Jarrett in a rejuvenated Pizza Hut Australia executive team.

 

Pizza Hut Australia’s momentum stems partly from a dedicated effort across the business to improve customer experience, a sharpened focus on innovation in product development and a fresh, novel marketing strategy.

 

Says Reed: “Initiatives such as making dough freshly throughout the day and better targeting of bundles and coupon offers have seen significant increases in new customers, word-of-mouth advocacy from existing customers and returning customers, according to Pizza Hut’s own data. Our aim is to stay relevant

 

Says Moss on the franchise network: “In a year that marks Pizza Hut’s 60th year of operations, a priority for the new executive team has been strengthening relations with franchisees, to both ensure alignment around Pizza Hut’s commercial, brand and product strategy and drive a more entrepreneurial mindset across the franchise network.”

 

Key initiatives for enhanced franchisee engagement include setting up an improved franchisee advisory council to serve as a forum for collaboration and discussion, introducing new recognition and reward structures for franchisee performance, and boosting training in workplace safety, operational management and employment standards.

 

Pizza Hut’s 60th anniversary celebrations this year have marked a change in the engagement culture between franchisees and staff from the Restaurant Support Centre (head office). The executive, leadership team and the majority of office staff were assigned to stores within the network to support franchisees in their activation of the “18,000 free pizzas” campaign to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

 

Says Moss: “The commitment shown towards franchisees has contributed directly to the improved performance seen across the Pizza Hut business in recent months. The link between engaged, supported and empowered franchisees and a positive brand and customer experience is very clear to us and we will continue to strengthen our relationship with the network.

 

“As we drive the business forward, improving dialogue with franchisees and elevating training and development across the franchisee network are key priorities. We’re now starting to see the results of that in financial performance and vastly improved customer satisfaction metrics.”

 

Acquired by private equity group Allegro Funds in 2016, Pizza Hut Australia operates 292 stores in Australia.

Creative: The Monkeys

Media: Initiative