New ads for pizza chains carve up the consumer pie

Nation's Restaurant News, Jan 11, 1993 by Theresa Howard

Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut customers received the gift of new advertising campaigns during the holiday season, and they send a message dramatically different than the ones developed last year by each of the pizza chains.

As Domino's heads into the new year with the national roll-out of Twisty bread sticks and salads and a new animated spokescartoon, Donny the Domino, Pizza Hut is ringing in 1993 with a new steak-topped pizza and series of television commercials that put the customer back into the restaurants.

Veering from the campaign it created a year ago with the "Deliver Me" theme, Pizza Hut reveals that its focus is once again on the dine-in segment -- a chunk of the company's business that has been cannibalized by its own delivery service.

"The focus in 1993 should be on the customer and offering a wider variety," said Bob Perkins, vice president, marketing. Perkins said the Steak Lover's pizza -- topped with marinated chuck steak, onions and three cheeses -- is the first of what Perkins said will be more new products throughout the year.

While one spot launches the limited-time-only Steak Lover's product, two 30-second spots introduce the company's new theme, "Sometimes you gotta stop and smell the pizza." The saying is meant to "develop an emotional tie with the customer and to put life and fun" back into pizza, said Perkins.

"Mottos" introduces the new theme in one spot that juxtaposes boring and fun. A string of cold-looking, cement office buildings is pitted against the fun going on inside a Pizza Hut restaurant. "Mottos" cuts from the buildings and a handful of staid businessmen to a scene inside a local Pizza Hut where customers are having a good time eating pizza as the popular fraternity hit "Louie, Louie" plays in the background.

In the second commercial, "Phone Mom," a mother is endlessly interrupted by phone calls. After about her fourth attempt to read a story to her children, she places the phone in the dishwasher and announces they are going to Pizza Hut.

"The idea of taking time to stop and smell the pizza is a way of connecting consumers' lives with our product," said Perkins. "People are overburdened every day in today's fast-paced society and we hope that our new theme will encourage consumers to take time out and enjoy themselves." BBDO created the spots for Pizza Hut.

Despite a lackluster response to spokessinger Aretha Franklin, who did a series of commercials for Pizza Hut last year, the company still plans to spend about $120 million for this year's advertising and marketing programs, Perkins said.

Meanwhile, Domino's has not upped the advertising ante either. "The budget will be just about the same. We are just getting a little more bang for our buck," said marketing vice president Larry Sheehan.

That bang is due in part to the company's decision to nix Bronson Pinchot, the television star from the sitcom "Perfect Strangers," who did a series of spots for Domino's in 1992. "Production costs are lower because we don't have to pay him," Sheehan said of the television actor. Replacing Pinchot is the company's own animated spokesperson, Donny the Domino, who is reminiscent of the California Raisins figures.

In one commercial shown in 15- and 30-second versions, consumers are introduced to Donny and the company's new theme, "Somethin' for nothin' is really somethin." Flashes of Domino's customers eating pizza, bread sticks and salads are shown as the catchy ditty plays in the background. The commercials were created by Grey Advertising Inc.

The commercials reinforce Sheehan's focus on offering added value with free giveaways that will also include hats and T-shirts, he said.

"Our food costs are running a little high because we are giving the bread sticks and salads away. As the mix comes in and as we start selling, there will be a savings of a couple of percentage points in food costs," Sheehan said.

"We are definitely looking to increase sales," he added. "Our delivery cost is still the same so if we can get a little higher check average, we are looking at a 10 percent-15 percent increase." Indeed, the first promotion aims to raise check points by offering a free order of bread sticks and a salad with the purchase of a one-topping, large pizza. Large pies typically sell for around $12, Sheehan said.

The new spots appear to give Domino's some direction and that pleases Sheehan. "I have got to compliment Grey. There were a lot of problems. But they brought out their creative people and they have worked very, very hard."

Grey was chosen as Domino's agency of record in 1991.