A Pizza Hut Social Media Strategy by ZongYong Lee

A Pizza Hut Social Media Strategy by ZongYong Lee

Lee 02 Executive Summary Established in 1958, Pizza Hut, now part of the Yum! Brands conglomerate is the first fast food chain in the United States. With an excellent reputation that has earned the respect of consumers and industry experts over the last five decades, Pizza Hut has always been the premier pizzeria for pizza lovers across the world. In order for Pizza Hut to create a fresh image in the minds of its consumers, a social media strategy targeting the millennials will be implemented. The strategy focuses on the targeted audience who are seeking a convenient, fast, and delicious meal. The social media strategy will consist of traditional media mainly focusing on the use of social media such as,, and. The traditional media will follow a pulsing schedule of six months from June to December. The media plan will successfully target the millennials and establish a fresh brand image of Pizza Hut to new and existing consumers.

Lee 03 Situation Analysis Pizza Hut itself is the world s largest pizza company. As of January 1st, 2014, there were 13,300 Pizza Hut locations worldwide including 7,800 in the United States and 5,500 in 87 countries worldwide. Between 2012 and 2013, the Pizza Hut brand experienced growth at both its domestic and international locations. In China, Pizza Hut experienced a 20% growth in its number of stores, going from 987 to 1,264. In India, Pizza Hut went from 310 locations to 367 locations, which constituted a growth of 14%. Internationally, Pizza Hut grew from 2%, from 5,304 locations to 5,490 locations while domestic growth just reached a 1%. The number of stores in the United States increased from 7,756 to 7,846. Pizza Hut restaurants come in a few different formats. There are the original-family style dine-in restaurants, delivery/carry-out locations, and hybrids that combine the two. The family-style restaurants are usually characterized by the distinctive red roof. Unfortunately for Pizza Hut, many consumers view it as a stale brand. At the end of the 2014 fiscal year s second quarter, Pizza Hut same-store sales went down 3% overall and 4% in the United States and its operating profits were down 22%. With same-store sales being down and a negative consumer image, Pizza Hut has shifted its goals to increasing digital orders. In 2013, Pizza Hut exceeded $1 billion in digital sales and nearly one third of its domestic sales are digital.

Lee 04 Competitive Analysis Dominoes Dominoes had an annual sales of $1.8 billions, and a market share of 20% in 2013. Dominos is the world s number two pizza chain. It has more than 10,300 delivery locations in about 70 countries. Dominoes stores are principally delivery locations and do not have any dine-in seating. Their menu features several different styles of pizza along with a variety of toppings. Dominos is also known for their non-pizza items such as bread sticks, cheese bread, and chicken wings. Domino s largely competes on price and convenience. They have extremely low priced items and an easy delivery option. Domino s current campaign focuses on their failure of a brand in previous years. They are emphasizing their retooled pizza recipe which is paired with a money-back guarantee for those whose expectations are not met. The campaign emphasizes the change the chain has gone through s they know their customers were unhappy with the previous pizza recipe. Domino s spent most of their advertising dollars in television. They spent high amounts on cable TV, network TV, and Spanish language TV. Domino s also dedicated a great amount of their advertising budget to internet display. Papa John s Papa John s had an annual sales of $1.44 billion in 2013. It is currently the number three pizza chain. Papa John s has around 4,165 pizzerias across the US and is present in about 35 international markets. They are known for their original pizza styles and various topping choices. Papa John s solely offers delivery and carry-put options. Papa John s advertises on both a national and local level. The company is focused mostly on cutting expenses and keeping its food costs low during the recent recession. Papa John s has a partnership with Peyton Manning and the NFL. They are focusing on a stronger emotional connection to its customers. Papa John s will continue to utilize these types of promotions to separate itself from the competitors. Papa John s advertising is spent heavily in television. They have the highest spend in cable TV, syndicated TV, network TV, and spot TV.

Lee 05 Target Audience The current target audience for Pizza Hut is directed at small families and the younger generation. The primary consumer who will be purchasing the product would be between the ages of 18 and 34. This will then be divided into segments of the following three. The College Students. The youngest demographic, also classified as the pizza loving generation. The majority of this target audience is college students living alternative lifestyles including indulging in parties and all nighters. Their interests includes immediate, affordable, but delicious fast food that is complementary to their lifestyle. These are the main users of online ordering and social media based advertising appeals to this specific demographic. The Ambitious Working Class This would be the primary targets for the media plan. This group of consumers makes up a large group of Pizza Hut s consumers which forces the brand to cater to their low budget and big appetite. This demographic is more likely to order pizzas for an in office event or even after their nightlife activities. This targeted audience are social media enthusiast but slightly less passionate than the younger counterpart. The Millennial Families According to research, it concludes that mothers of small families is another prime target for the media strategy plan. Mother is the head of the decision making process when it comes to dinner choices. Appealing to the average mother s request for a low budget, satisfying meal for their family is a clear strategy to reach their target audience effectively. The more children within the family, the more likely they are to eat at Pizza Hut.

Lee 06 Creative Strategy The Pizza Hut s Campaign The Pizza Hut Social Media Campaign will introduced several ways to improve the digital Pizza Hut experience for the target audience. The duration of the campaign will last for six months and will adopting the practices of nontraditional media through social media platforms, PR events, web and mobile advertising. The suggested ways are as follows: The is the will be the leading promotional tool in the new Pizza Hut campaign. is the hashtag created by Pizza Hut and used by Pizza Hut consumers to monitor social media presence of their customers in order to enhance customers experience with Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut will hold competition every week through the hashtag where the 3 winner will be chosen by the public through a selected list of participants from each social media platform (, and ). The hashtag will be monitored through all and will be used in determining the best caption or experience that customers have with Pizza Hut. Be it an post, a tweet, or even a status, all posts will have an equal chance of winning a full meal for a party of eight every weekend while the grand prize of the will be an all expense paid trip to Italy at the end of the six month campaign in the summer. The Pizza Hut App In addition to the functioning Pizza Hut App available to download on all Android and iphones, the app will feature a new layout to enhance ordering experience for takeout, delivery, and for the first time, dine-in. The new dine-in feature will include a location system that syncs with location app such as Swarm. Users will have to download the Swarm application to check-in to a Pizza Hut location where it allows the users to unlock special content such as The Pizza Hut Game, order info or even special offers that are randomly distributed only when dining-in a Pizza Hut restaurant.

Lee 07 The Pizza Hut Catch The Pizza Hut Catch is a mobile game that is available to all smart phones users only when they check-in into a Pizza Hut restaurant using the Swarm app to dine-in and also using Pizza Hut s in-house wifi network system. The game would not work if the mobile device used is not connect to the Pizza Hut s network system. The goal of the game is to catch as many toppings onto the pizza from the sky as much as you can. High scores are collected from game centers and allow users to compete with other users. The main benefit of this game is to generate as many points because the points accumulated can be used as Pizza Hut Currency which in turn can be used as discounts to purchase more pizzas. The difficulty of the game increases as the player s points increases.

Lee 08 Social Media Calendar 05 December 2015 06 December 2015 To introduce the hashtag on social media platform To introduce the hashtag on social media platform To introduce the hashtag on social media platform To introduce the new Pizza Hut App with the public on social media platform To introduce the new Pizza Hut App to the public on social media platform To introduce the new Pizza Hut App on social media platform picture with nothing but the words written to their followers and will ask users to use the hashtag in their captions in every post they make. Pizza Hut will introduce the to their followers and will ask their followers to use the hashtag in their tweets every time they share a tweet to their followers. Pizza Hut will introduce the s to their followers and asks their followers to include the hashtag in their everyday status to their social circle. picture of the new application interface to to gain awareness of the new application update. Pizza Hut will tweet a picture of the newly interfaced application to their followers to achieve awareness of the new update. screenshot of the newly designed application to gain recognition of their new update.

Lee 09 12 December 2015 13 December 2015 14 December 2015 To introduce The Pizza Hut Catch to the public on social media platform To introduce The Pizza Hut Catch to followers of Pizza Hut on social media platform To introduce The Pizza Hut Catch on the social media platform To repeat to Pizza Hut s followers that there is a new update on the Pizza Hut app To further promote the campaign to their followers picture of the game logo on to generate publicity for the game. It will include the link to download the new Pizza Hut app where the game is only accessible from. Pizza Hut will tweet a tweet stating about the new game for their followers to generate awareness. It will include call to action through a link to download their newly updated Pizza Hut app where the game is only accessible from. video about the game to generate awareness to their followers. It will include a link to download the new Pizza Hut app where the game is only accessible from. The page will post a screenshot of the game in the Pizza Hut app to boost awareness of the game. It will include a call to action by asking followers to share the status with their friends and family. This is a call to action to Pizza Hut s followers to include the hashtag to all their posts on for the competition to win a pizza party for 8.

Lee 10 17 December 2015 To set a call to action for Pizza Hut s followers for the campaign competition To strengthen the awareness of the campaign to Pizza Hut s followers To limit the participants for the competition on social media platform (This will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 19th May 2016) To put a limit on the participant for the competition on social media platform (This routine will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 19th of May 2016) It will include the call to action to Pizza Hut s Followers to include the hashtag to all their tweets to participate in the competition. This will include a call to action to Pizza Hut s followers to include the hashtag to all their status to be enrolled in the competition. Pizza Hut will now select a handful of participants with the most appropriate and also the most likes on users pictures and will announce them on their next post featuring the handful of users social media handle. Pizza Hut will also select a handful of participants with the most appropriate and also the most retweets and favorites on Pizza Hut s followers and will tweet out a picture of the participants tweets for Pizza Hut s followers to vote.

Lee 11 19 December 2015 To limit the participants of the campaign for the public to vote their favorite content (This process will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 19th of May 2016) To announce the weekly winners of the campaign for the social media platform (This will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 21st May of 2016) To announce the weekly winners of the campaign for the social media platform (This routine will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 21st of May 2016) To announce the weekly winners of the campaign for the social media platform (This process will be repeated every Thursday Morning and will end on the 21st of May 2016) Pizza Hut will monitor and pick only a handful of Status that perfectly fits the hashtag and will combine and include it in a picture and will post it to their page for their followers to vote for their favorite status. Pizza Hut will gather the picture with the most likes and will post the winning picture on their page and includes a call to action for the winner to contact them. Pizza Hut will gather the tweet with the most retweet and favorites and will tweet the winning tweet and username on and will include a call to action for the winners on how to claim their prize. Pizza Hut will gather the status with the most likes and shares and will announce the winner on their page and includes a call to action for the winners to contact them for further details on how to claim their prize.

Lee 12 20 December 2015 27 December 2015 To illustrate that Christmas is soon and that families should be together (This will continue for the next five days until Boxing Day) To remind followers that Christmas is a time to be with family (This will continue for the next five days until Boxing Day) To wish everyone to be with family during Christmas time (This will continue for the next five days until Boxing Day) To remind followers that the New Year is approaching and that it shouldn t be celebrated alone (This will continue everyday until the 3rd day of the New Year) To wish every follower a pleasant New Year ahead of them and that they should be with family in the moment (This will continue everyday until the 3rd day of the New Year) To illustrate that the New Year is approaching and to wish everyone a Happy New Year ahead of them (This will continue everyday until the 3rd day of the New Year) picture of a family having a great time eating Pizza Hut be it at a Pizza Hut restaurant or at home. Pizza Hut will tweet to their followers that Christmas is approaching and that Pizza Hut will be open for Christmas to celebrate the joyous occasion. status to their followers that Christmas is a time to be with family and that everyone will have a wonderful Christmas. picture of a big group of friends or family having a great time together eating Pizza Hut waiting for the New Year fireworks. Pizza Hut will tweet to their followers that the New Year is a time to be with family and that they should celebrate the New Year together and not alone. Pizza Hut s page will update a status about the importance of spending their New Years with friends and family.

Lee 13 01 January 2016 To wish every follower a Happy New Year picture to social media platform a pizza with the words Happy New Year 2016 written in BBQ sauce to their followers To wish every follower a Happy New Year Pizza Hut will tweet their followers a prosperous New Year on social media platform To wish every followers a Happy New Year status to their page to wish their followers a Happy New Year on social media platform 03 January 2016 To celebrate Festival of Sleep Day picture of a lazy day on all social media platform to celebrate Festival of Sleep Day and to celebrate it with Pizza 06 January 2016 To celebrate Cuddle Up Day status onto their page for followers to celebrate Cuddle Up Day at home with a Pizza Hut delivery. 16 January 2016 To celebrate National Nothing Day picture on all social media platforms to remind their followers to do nothing with Pizza on National Nothing Day.

Lee 14 21 January 2016 To celebrate National Hugging Day to end National Hugging Day with Pizza Hut deliveries. 23 January 2016 To celebrate National Pie Day for all followers to celebrate National Pie Day with Pizza Hut. 24 January 2016 To celebrate Compliment Day Pizza Hut will remind all followers of their social media platforms to compliment everybody they know with Pizza Hut 28 January 2016 To celebrate Fun at Work Day to remind fellow workers that it is Fun at Work Day and to celebrate their fun with Pizza Hut. 01 February 2016 To celebrate Super Bowl Sunday Pizza Hut will post continuous posting social media content through out the duration of the Super Bowl and will also remind followers to order in Pizza Hut for tailgating party. 01 February 2016 To celebrate National Freedom Day to remind followers to celebrate National Freedom Day by having the choice to eat Pizza Hut.

Lee 15 04 February 2016 To celebrate Thank a Mailman Day to remind followers to thank their mailman with Pizza Hut. 11 February 2016 To celebrate Don t Cry over Spilled Milk Day to remind followers not to cry over spilled milk and instead, eat Pizza Hut. 14 February 2016 To celebrate Valentines Day to celebrate Valentines Day and will asks followers to celebrate it with Valentines Day with their loved ones. 15 February 2016 To celebrate President s Day to have followers celebrate the works of all Presidents with Pizza Hut. 16 February 2016 To celebrate Do a Grouch a Favor Day to have followers to do a grouch a favor by treating them Pizza Hut. 17 February 2016 To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day to have followers commit random acts of kindness by giving out Pizza Hut.

Lee 16 19 February 2016 To celebrate Chinese New Year to wish their followers Happy Chinese New Year. 29 February 2016 To celebrate Leap Day to remind followers that it is the once every four years February 29 and to celebrate it with Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut will continue posting social media content on the following special days: March 2016 3rd March - I Want You to be Happy Day 3rd March - Peach Blossom Day 6th March - Employee Appreciation Day 8th March - International Women s Day 12th March - Girl Scouts Day 14th March - National Pi Day 15th March - Everything You Think is Wrong Day 16th March - Everything You Do is Right Day 17th March - Saint Patrick s Day 20th March - International Earth Day 26th March - Make Up Your Own Holiday Day 26th March - National Spinach Day 27th March - National Joe Day 30th March - I am in Control Day April 2016 1st April 3rd April 3rd April 5th April 7th April - April Fool s Day - Good Friday - National Walk to Work Day - Easter Sunday - No Housework Day

Lee 17 10th April 14th April 15th April 16th April 16th April 19th April 20th April 23rd April 26th April 29th April May 2016 1st May 1st May 4th May 5th May 6th May 6th May 7th May 8th May 10th May 11th May 14th May 18th May 23rd May 25th May - National Siblings Day - Look up at the Sky Day - Titanic Remembrance Day - National Stress Awareness Day - National High Five Day - National Garlic Day - Patriot s Day - Take a Chance Day - National Pretzel Day - National Shrimp Scampi Day - May Day - Mother Goose Day - Star Wars Day - Cinco de Mayo Day - National Teacher s Day - No Diet Day - Veteran s Day, WWII - No Socks Day - Mother s Day - Eat What You Want Day - Dance Like a Chicken Day - No Dirty Dishes Day - Lucky Penny Day - Memorial Day In addition to the campaign, below are several days that are in the schedule: Every Wednesday of the campaign duration - Post the challenge on all to encourage participation 19th May - Pizza Hut will stop posting names of participants to be voted for the weekly hashtag competition 21st May - Pizza Hut will stop announcing the names of winners of the weekly hashtag competition 28th May - Pizza Hut will announce the winner for the Grand Prize of the campaign, a trip for two to Italy.