• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, March 1, 2017

To promote its first sponsorship of the NCAA March Madness tournaments and its easy online ordering options, Pizza Hut is running a campaign that features sneakers with built-in ordering buttons.

Retired NCAA and NBA star Grant Hill demonstrates the geolocation-enabled sneakers’ unique ability in new TV creative (below) set to begin airing March 3.

The limited-edition sneakers — 64 pairs, in honor of the men's and women's tournaments’ starting fields — were made by Dominic Chambrone, aka “the Shoe Surgeon.” 

Most pairs will be used for various promotional purposes, but a handful will be made available to the public closer to the Final Four, through an as yet undetermined channel.  

Pizza Hut recently announced that its digital ordering options now include using a Pizza Hut skill on the Alexa app on the Amazon Tap or Echo Dot devices, in addition to mobile devices and computers. 

The campaign, from Droga5, also includes a “Brace Yourself” teaser video for the sneakers that was posted on YouTube and the brand’s Twitter account on Feb. 28.

There will also be on-air integrations of the brand and the sneakers during CBS/Turner’s NCAA tournament broadcasts, and a promotional offer of $7.99 for any large, two-topping pizza that’s ordered online, including by mobile.