PIZZA HUT USES HIDDEN CAMERA
Pizza Hut has launched one of its biggest ever advertising campaigns this week to announce the arrival of its new Tuscani Pastas range, signaling a major new direction for the company.
Created by M&C Saatchi and shot in a Sydney restaurant, the commercial features real life people who are eating and commenting on pasta meals without knowing the restaurant-quality pasta is from Pizza Hut.
The restaurant’s chef then reveals the truth to the pleasantly surprised diners.
To celebrate the launch of its pasta offering – the biggest shift in the company since its launch in Australia 40 years ago – Pizza Hut is also considering the introduction of a Pasta Hut brand.
In fact, it is re-branding two Sydney outlets in the CBD to help gauge consumer reaction.
To help make its final decision on the introduction of the Pasta Hut brand, Pizza Hut is asking Australians to vote for their preferred name – Pizza Hut or Pasta Hut. Visit www.pastahut.com.au to vote or to find out further information.
Agency: M&C Saatchi, Sydney
Creative Director: Ben Welsh
Creative team: Mike Miller & Andy Flemming
Agency producer: Emma Alexander
Account Management: Nathalie Brady & Lara-Ming Sinnathamboo
Production House: Flying Fish
Director: Anthony Rose
Production House Producer: Caroline David
54 Comments
Pizza Hut have at last found a way to use that restaurant real estate.
Hope it all works for you guys. I bet the internal politics are fearsome!
Interesting to see a list of credits for that ad that isn’t the same as the list of credits for this ad – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF4FtWghQAw
I’m guessing they’re happy because they didn’t have to pay for the meal ??
Ah it’s freakin sweet, but too short!
Fuck…
It mustn’t have been easy to recruit 25 people who’d never eaten decent pasta in their lives before.
pasta with an old chestnut.
Dear 12:22
That’s hilarious. It’s exactly the same ad for exactly the same company and yet it’s being lauded here as completely different, new advertising. What a rort! Shame on you guys!!!
Well, they’re a tough client so at least there’s a bit of an idea there.
Better than most of the fast food poo out there.
Classic 12:22 PM!
This is a remake of a USA Pizza Hut ad. Oh dear. Why?
OK so, is this a localization of an international campaign? The New York version is virtually identical. Does that mean I get to PR my P&G shampoo localized ads and claim the idea as my own? Why the hell did these guys PR this? Please explain.
Didn’t like it – too cheesy.
“Tuscani”? I hope the faux Italian pasta is better than the faux Italian spelling of “toscani”.
Might order a “perfecto” pizza, some “brushetta” and an “expresso” to go with it.
Un altra stronzata americana…
Geez. Oldest trick in the book.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=6HGKJHpQkfI
It’s the exact same freaking campaign for Pizza Hut that’s been going on in the U.S. for a long time now. The Aussies have just adopted it. Or have been forced to adopt it. Sorry.
i was gonna comment… then I couldn’t be bothered
sorry… there’s an idea here?
Good loooord! That is terrible. Maybe they should have used actors. They come off looking like badly directed paid talent. The ‘making of’ is no better either. Wow! … a fake sign, a fake chef and some fake menus. End result – some fake looking reactions.
This would have been a better reaction…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gsoW0fV36Tk&feature=related
I can remember when Pizza Hut had a food bar similar to Sizzler’s and had pasta. What is so new about this? Since pasta is one of the cheapest meals and fast foods are making a motza in the recession, just another way to make money from lazy “cooks”.
I’m with 12.22.
Deary me.
I just can’t understand why M&C would present this as their own idea without even acknowledging the fact that the same campaign ran in the US last year for the same client. Surely they must have realized that it would take about two seconds for someone to recognize the work. Bizarre. What’s the story? Are they dumb or just plain lazy?
I can’t wait to see what they do with the Tuscani Lasagne. Nor do you. http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=5qtKyBaJ6jM
Hahaha Gazza that’s freakin’ hilarious. I’m guessing, respectfully, there’s only one Gaz, legend, in the biz that could remember that ad.
The Folgers ad is 50 times more believable than the diarrhoea hut ad. Ever bought a cup of coffee when you’re on one of your shoots in America?
Can you legally call it pasta when it comes from a packet with powdered freeze dried sauce?
I can spot 4 actors in that ad that I’ve seen in castings before.
This is blatant lying. Not only that, but they somehow cast the most over-casted female in advertising that’s been in every second fast food and moisturising commercial in the last 5 years.
Why mislead the general public about this?
And mislead us about an adapt?
Not criticising anyone. Change of topic.
What’s everyone’s opinion on Jacket Girl?
And has anyone seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG2cMKtg1SQ
Cannes contender?
I need someone to sign for a shipment of fail. Anyone? Ben? Mike? Maurice?
I’m trying to work out what’s worse.
Having to actually make a pizza hut ad, or being told to make a remake of a pizza hut ad.
– An American one at that.
Poor bastards.
That’s embarrassing. Why the hell would you post something that’s a remake??? Why??? The advertising ego continues to amaze me. “Oh, look at me, look at me. I made an ad. I’m awesome”. I’d rather post a toilet cleaner billboard I did myself than post someone elses work that I remade. Tossers.
Sorry, I’m still trying to get over the fact that this is a remake and they’ve pr’d it.
Taking credit for another agencies idea…MCShame Sydney
12.22pm, you’ve reminded me how much I miss Glenn McGrath out on the pitch.
look! we made an ad even worse than they did it before!!! go aussie go.
I think we can safely say that this came from a PR agency as opposed to M&C.
Incredible, just incredible.
shucks.
– Jossy
@12:40. Non-blinking girl is indeed a Cannes contender. In fact it won last year. A bit cheesy. But good on ’em.
Of course it’s a corker, 12:40. Now make it work in 30 seconds, as per the standard Australian TVC duration.
Just taking another creative teams original idea and ‘localising’ it, is really only pathetic when you don’t own up to it ……so shame on you.
Don’t worry, Obama will fix it.
11:13
No time limits online i think youll find.
12:51, you might sit at your computer all day and night, but the ordinary folks who receive their advertising from their TV set don’t.
11:13 (Legend)
Saw the spot on telly tonight. Very ordinary. The mind boggles that anyone would want to claim it as an original idea. But, if the person who posted earlier about actors being cast in the ad is right, well, then it’s a disgrace.
Blatant lying. Ethically appalling.
Someone tell me aint so…
A. Why a reasonably expensive remake as opposed to an adapt with V.O. etc?
B. Why PR it?
C. Why lie?
D. If a radio ad airs in Tamworth and no dog’s are around to hear a special frequency you can’t broadcast on rural airwaves, did it really happen?
3:51 – The ordinary folk? Please mate, us ‘ordinary folk’ are viewing these tv ads from a link in their email inbox. Are you not posting on this blog? Did you not just view the spot via the link on this blog post?
And dont give me some crap about only those in the AD industry visit this blog – it will be sent around the world via a new medium called the internet. Look it up.
6.53 – gold!
Apostrophe abuse, 10.02.
You’re absolutely right 9.20.
This one’s going to go viral. Big time!
This is gold. Adwanking at it’s pinnacle. Who’d have thought M+C and Flying Fish would deliver us the biggest PR blunder for the year – and it’s still January! You guys rock!!!!
If I have a badly thought out reality ad I need copying I know who to call. And I know you’ll PR it for me too. Ace!
This won’t save them.
Bloody unbelieveable. How could you approve this?
Who cut the cheese for this pasta ad?
Oh. Those guys.
Well, I think we’ve all learned a lesson today.
Never, ever, ever give a crap ad to a PR company.
Oh, and save the ‘who approved this’ shit, it’s just one of hundreds of similarly ordinary ads we make every single day and try not to talk about, you know, those ones that keep us employed.
It’s just unfortunate that one of our ‘dirty little secrets’ happened to stray onto the blog and got ripped to pieces. (What a surprise eh?)
I feel sorry for them, they’re a great bunch over there.
And again, http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=cZEu_Wb0CmM
Oh dear.
Ben Welsh here, somewhat late admittedly, in an attempt to explain the situation. Yes, it is a remake of an American ad, as briefed by our client who were so happy with the result that they did the press release.
M&C Saatchi has never claimed the ad is original. Mike and Andy did a very professional job as did everyone else involved in recreating it – which isn’t always easy when it’s not your baby.
As to why the remake, well, anyone who has been involved in multinational brands ought to know, these things happen.
Since someone has kindly supplied a link to the US ad you can compare the two.