Pizza Hut Serves Up 'Newstalgia' with Campaign Celebrating All that Fans Know and Love About the Pizza Restaurant

Rhea-AI Summary

Pizza Hut launched a nostalgic marketing campaign named "Newstalgia," blending classic themes with modern twists. The initiative features a collaboration with PAC-MAN, introducing a limited-edition PAC-MAN box that includes an augmented reality game. Customers can win a custom PAC-MAN arcade cabinet by participating in a sweepstakes linked to the game. Actor Craig Robinson is the new spokesperson, starring in a TV commercial. The campaign aims to reconnect with past customers while engaging a new generation through iconic imagery and promotions.

Positive

• Launch of the 'Newstalgia' campaign promoting brand nostalgia combined with modern engagement.
• Collaboration with PAC-MAN enhances brand visibility and customer interaction.
• The limited-edition PAC-MAN box and corresponding AR game drive customer interest.
• Participation sweepstakes provide an incentive for orders, potentially boosting sales.
• Craig Robinson's endorsement may attract a wider audience due to his popularity.

Negative

• None.

PLANO, Texas, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember going to Pizza Hut as a kid? The glorious aroma of pizza enveloped you as you were led to a classic red booth decked out in a red and white checkered tablecloth under the cozy glow of a stained-glass Tiffany-style lamp. You'd score some quarters to play an arcade game as you waited for your Personal Pan Pizza^®, served hot in a cast iron skillet. Life was good.

Pizza Hut is bringing back all the nostalgic feels to customers with a new brand campaign that captures the concept of "Newstalgia." The campaign puts a contemporary twist on celebrating all the things people love and associate with the brand – from Book It!^® pins, classic arcade games, red cups and Tiffany-style lamps and of course, iconic Pizza Hut pizzas.

To help launch the campaign, Pizza Hut teamed up with new spokesperson, Craig Robinson, for a TV spot featuring the actor/comedian playing a retro PAC-MAN game while enjoying a $10 Tastemaker™ pizza. In a modern twist, Pizza Hut has partnered with PAC-MAN to offer a limited-edition PAC-MAN box, featuring an augmented reality version of the iconic game printed directly on the packaging that fans can play using their smartphones.

#PizzaHutARcade
Beginning today, fans who play the AR PAC-MAN game can enter for a chance to win their very own custom Arcade1Up PAC-MAN game cabinet. Here's how it works:

Order a large pizza from Pizza Hut. Scan the QR code on limited-edition PAC-MAN box and play the awesome AR PAC-MAN game.  Then, to enter the sweepstakes, follow the on-screen prompts to share your score with @PizzaHut on Twitter using #PizzaHutARcade #Sweepstakes. The best part? You don't need to be a PAC-MAN wiz to win! No matter your high score, as long as you share it, you have a chance to win. Limited-edition PAC-MAN box available while supplies last. For additional information, restrictions, and full Official Rules, visit here.¹  

On April 3, Pizza Hut will randomly select one lucky winner from all eligible entries properly submitted to receive the custom PAC-MAN arcade game cabinet for their home.

"PAC-MAN's design and creation was inspired by the shape of a pizza with a slice taken out of it, making this partnership so appropriate for the PAC-MAN brand," said Yutaka Fuse, Head of Licensing and Branding at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. "PAC-MAN games and Pizza Hut pizzas occupy a special place in many people's memories; we're excited to have the opportunity to create fun memories for a new generation of PAC-MAN and Pizza Hut fans through this collaboration."

The Ultimate Pizza Lover
To kick off the campaign, Pizza Hut joined forces with actor and comedian, Craig Robinson. Robinson will be the face of Pizza Hut, and the campaign for the rest of the year. He can be seen embodying  that 'kid at heart' and ultimate pizza lover in the new TV spot "Dots," as he enjoys a $10 Tastemaker pizza while playing a vintage PAC-MAN tabletop game – just like the old days dining in at Pizza Hut.

"Everyone has their own special Pizza Hut memory - from being a BOOK IT! kid or grabbing post-game pizza with your little league buddies," Robinson said. "Growing up in the 80s, mine was going into Pizza Hut and devouring those little PAC-MAN dots just like I did my pizza. Those arcade games in the restaurant - there was nothing better as a kid."

"There aren't many brands with more iconic elements than us, whether it's the red cups, checkered tablecloths, connection to pop culture and entertainment - like PAC-MAN - or our iconic Pan Pizza," said George Felix, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut. "As we look to connect with a new generation of pizza lovers, we are tapping into those things that make Pizza Hut great in a modern and relevant way."

The PAC-MAN box, AR game and TV spot are just the beginning. Throughout the year, Pizza Hut will be fueling pizza lovers with new innovation, bringing back iconic pizzas and tapping into entertainment and pop culture in new and unexpected ways. Hurry and get your $10 Tastemaker in the limited-edition PAC-MAN box today!

About Pizza Hut^®
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), has more restaurant locations in the world than any other pizza company. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., Pizza Hut operates nearly 18,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. With easy order options including the Pizza Hut app, mobile site, and Amazon and Google devices, Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order.

Now more than ever, restaurants have an important role in helping to safely feed families. As the largest pizza brand in the U.S. by store count, Pizza Hut is committed to doing its part. To help keep team members and customers safe, customers can get their favorite Pizza Hut pizza via three contactless offerings: curbside pickup, delivery, or carryout. Additionally, restaurant locations continue to implement health and safety procedures including advising guest-facing team members to wear single-use personal protective gear, pizza box safety seals, pre-shift temperature checks, and counter shields to increase protection between customers and employees.

Pizza Hut is also the proprietor of The Literacy Project, an initiative designed to enable access, empower teachers and inspire a lifelong love of reading. The program is rooted in the foundation set by the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program, which is the longest-running corporate supported literacy program, impacting more than 14 million students each year. Pizza Hut is the Official and Only Pizza Sponsor of the NFL and NCAA^®.

For more information about Pizza Hut, visit www.pizzahut.com or http://www.pizzahut.com/c/content/sitemap

About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry's top video game franchises including PAC-MAN^®, GALAGA^®, TEKKEN^®, SOULCALIBUR^®, and ACE COMBAT^®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z^®, and ONE PIECE^®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.

About PAC-MAN
Born on May 22, 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to meteoric popularity, first in video game arcades, then on the pop culture stage and through an array of branding and entertainment appearances throughout the 1980's and 1990's.

2020 marked PAC-MAN's 40^th anniversary and with a global brand recognition rate of 90%, PAC-MAN's image and brand continues to be one of the most beloved and recognized on the planet. PAC-MAN continues to entertain and delight fans - of all generations - with new video game offerings, innovative brand partnerships, and creative collaborations.

To learn more about PAC-MAN, please visit:  https://www.pacman.com/en/. You can also follow PAC-MAN on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pacman/, on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/officialpacman?lang=en, or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/officialpacman/?hl=en.

PAC-MAN^®&©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

Contact:
Brett LeVecchio, Pizza Hut
972.338.6730 / Brett.LeVecchio@yum.com

¹ No purchase necessary. For additional information, restrictions, and full Official Rules, visit here.

 

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SOURCE Pizza Hut

FAQ

What is the Newstalgia campaign by Pizza Hut?

The Newstalgia campaign celebrates nostalgia associated with Pizza Hut while introducing modern features, such as a collaboration with PAC-MAN.

How does the PAC-MAN promotion work at Pizza Hut?

Customers can order a large pizza in a limited-edition PAC-MAN box, play an augmented reality game, and enter a sweepstakes to win a custom PAC-MAN arcade cabinet.

Who is the spokesperson for the new Pizza Hut campaign?

Craig Robinson is the new spokesperson for the Pizza Hut campaign, appearing in promotional materials and commercials.

When will the winner of the PAC-MAN arcade game be announced?

The winner of the custom PAC-MAN arcade game cabinet will be selected on April 3.

What is the price of the Tastemaker pizza promoted in the campaign?

The Tastemaker pizza is priced at $10 as part of the Newstalgia campaign.