THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Growflation

Finalist in Restaurants

Objective

Pizza Pizza understood two things perfectly: 1) pizza is for everyone and 2) so is inflation.

In the fiercely competitive Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry, where consumer frustration had escalated due to issues like shrinkflation, Pizza Pizza needed to distinguish themselves from competitors, by not only standing out but by actively demonstrating their role as a solution to the pervasive food concerns faced by Canadians.

Enter Growflation: Pizza Pizza’s new offering that combated shrinkflation by providing more pizza for the price of a small. Our objective was clear – convey this message to customers and showcase Pizza Pizza as an ally in addressing their concerns, with an ultimate business goal of driving sales.

As we researched our audience further, a noteworthy insight came to light. Individuals faced with the impacts of inflation are increasingly turning to online platforms for money saving solutions-whether it be dupes, DIY or life hacks.

The desire for content and conversation around these topics presented us with an exciting opportunity.

Strategy

Acknowledging the ongoing discussions and information-seeking behavior on online platforms, we strategically positioned ourselves to distinguish from the crowd by infusing conversations about inflation with levity, humor, and understanding. This deliberate approach aimed to bring a refreshing and engaging perspective to topics often devoid of these elements, allowing us to seamlessly integrate into these discussions in ways that are both unexpected and authentic. Our strategy encompassed identifying specific digital realms that individuals instinctively navigate when seeking budget-friendly alternatives

To actively participate in ongoing conversations around inflation, we strategically aligned with Reddit, which had grown to become the go-to social channel for financial conversation and advice. By positioning ourselves in discussions related to food and also financial topics, we engaged audiences precisely when concerns about food prices were top of mind. This not only enhanced our relevance but also established Pizza Pizza as a brand effectively addressing challenges amidst a sea of competitors, utilizing creatives that injected a sense of unexpected energy.

We strategically capitalized on the popularity of Meta and Snapchat, established as primary platforms for Pizza Pizza enthusiasts. Employing meticulous interest and behavioral targeting, encompassing financial aspects like money minders, coupons, and savings deals, alongside targeted retargeting of past customers, our message not only resonated authentically but was also delivered through engaging, humorous, and relatable creatives. This innovative approach proved pivotal, allowing us to optimize our budget by steering clear of unnecessary expenditure on disinterested audiences. In re-engaging loyal customers, we utilized predictive modeling to target audiences resembling these patrons, ensuring that our message resonated with those already inclined towards Pizza Pizza.

In the search domain, our copy was strategically crafted, utilizing phrases like "Get More Pizza For The Same Price" to raise awareness for the promotion. Additionally, we employed a competitive strategy by directly bidding on competitor keywords with a higher budget, seizing a larger market share by capitalizing on the high search demand for competitor keywords.

Results

The Growflation campaign emerged as a revenue powerhouse, delivering over 1,5 million dollars in sales and over 20,000 orders from digital efforts alone.

In the META space, our campaign outshone expectations, demonstrating a stellar 40% higher ROAS compared to the benchmark, while on Reddit, the Click-Through Rate soared to an impressive 80% over the platform benchmark, showcasing the campaign's strong resonance within the online community.

The skippable video (30s) surpassed Pizza Pizza's typical benchmark with a Viewability Completion Rate 27% better emphasizing the captivating nature of our content. Additionally, non-skippable ads (6s and 15s) achieved a 4.5% higher VCR compared to Pizza Pizza's typical performance, highlighting the effectiveness of our integration into these spaces.

Our strategic copy, such as "Get More Pizza For The Same Price," successfully raised awareness for the promotion, capturing the attention of users actively searching for pizza-related content.

The campaign not only met but exceeded expectations, showcasing the remarkable impact of a thoughtful and targeted approach. The Growflation campaign left a lasting impression on engagement metrics and the bottom line and demonstrated the power of injecting humor into inflation conversations. By infusing levity into a typically serious topic, our strategy not only engaged the audience but also fostered a memorable connection that directly contributed to increased sales, proving the effectiveness of our approach in achieving our objectives.

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

Media Experts, Pizza Pizza

Links

Entry Credits