Pizza Roulette
Hell Pizza
Issue 25 | December 2012
Agency
Barnes, Catmur & Friends
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Paul Catmur, Daniel Barnes Art Director: Crispin Schuberth Creative: Jesse Stevens, Brad Stratton
Production Team
Director: Steve Saussey Producer: Yolande Dewey Sound: Franklin Road Editor: Gabriella Muir
Other Credits
Senior Account Manager: Katya Urlwin Media: Monica Wales Client: Stu McMullin, Callum Davies
Date
Q1 2012
Background
While Hell pizzas are popular in New Zealand, research showed that there was a lack of "product connection". In other words, Hell's pizzas needed to walk the talk. The agency's task was to bridge the gap between the brand and its products.
Idea
Hell had recently acquired a bottle of the hottest chilli sauce in the world. This was used to create an irresistibly evil game, Pizza Roulette. All people had to do was ask for it and at no extra cost a drop of the chilli sauce would be added to one slice of their pizza. But which one?
Adshels, in-store posters, eDM and a TVC challenged people to try Hell's latest creation. Pizza Roulette became an experience in itself that combined Hell customers love of premium pizza with having a laugh at the expense of their friends.
Results
$1m NZD in additional sales.
17.5% increase in new customers.
ROI of 400%.
National media coverage worth $500,000.
Our Thoughts
What a great brief. Please make Hell more hellish. The creative leap was to have a product idea rather than an advertising idea. Brands can’t just tell people what they stand for, they have to be what they stand for. If Hell ran ads saying ‘We’re b-a-a-a-d”, everyone would think they were pathetic. But produce a pizza that can make a grown man whimper, now that is bad. And good.
I’d have tried to get people to upload videos to hellpizza.com.nz of their friends as their tastebuds caught fire. Further incentive to play pizza roulette, I’d have thought.