• by Karlene Lukovitz , January 20, 2011

Pizza and a movie is easier than ever -- if customers order from Pizza Hut. They will now have the option of checking out newly available on-demand flicks on cable while they await their order.

The pizza chain and its digital agency, Triad Digital Media, have partnered with iN Demand, distributor of movies on demand (MOD) and other video-on-demand entertainment through cable pay-per-view and other platforms. IN Demand is owned by Comcast iN Demand Holdings, Inc, Cox Communications Holdings, Inc. and the Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership.

(MOD is a generic term created by the cable companies and movie studios to differentiate this content from the broader offerings included in VOD.)

The partnership enables Pizza Hut to offer online customers promotional content that includes movie trailers, video clips and trivia, in addition to a listing of suggested major studio and indie movies currently available through cable systems' MOD lineups.

People who order on pizzahut.com are given access to and encouraged to browse the offerings in a newly launched "Entertainment Hut" site, developed and managed by Triad (which is also the exclusive content ad sales agent).

Recommended movies will be geared to family entertainment, and all will be films immediately available for order through cable systems. Cable MOD often gets major new movie releases on the same day that they are available on DVD, and many are available "weeks before" competitors Netflix and Redbox.

The benefits for the cable systems and studios lie in the ability to target and promote movies to Pizza Hut's large base of customers who order online -- people who are planning an at-home meal, and might be interested in ordering a movie to watch while they're eating their pizzas.

According to Armando Garza, senior director of customer relationship management for Pizza Hut, the new service ties into its core brand focus on added value.