• by Fern Siegel , October 18, 2024

California Pizza Kitchen has appointed an integrated four-agency team after a competitive account review.

Iris will lead all brand, creative and social work for the restaurant chain, the first time an agency has been awarded all three functions for CPK. Acadia is charged with digital media buying and customer growth strategy. Push will service special projects, leading creative and brand initiatives, and Blue Engine, as PR partner, will drive earned media attention.

“CPK is a brand steeped in nostalgia and close to the hearts of consumers, which makes this partnership a perfect fit for our approach — delivering big brand impact while staying social-first in everything we do,” said Simon Yoxall, Iris managing director.

Chief marketing officer Dawn Keller is charged with rejuvenating the global brand. She joined CPK earlier this year, most recently serving as CMO of Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria restaurant chain and its direct-to-consumer ecommerce arm, Tastes of Chicago.

“Our work with Iris began right away with our viral Mac & Cheese moment this summer. The team is already producing much of our organic social content and is hard at work on all LTO campaigns throughout the end of this year. That said, our first, large-scale campaign together will debut early next year — watch this space!” Keller told Agency Daily.

“This is the strongest agency team ever assembled at CPK, and our revitalized brand strategy is but one of several marketing levers we have activated to grow our business,” she added.

Nearly 40, CPK has restaurants across nine countries and 27 states. The brand is also available via strategic licensing partners in grocery stores nationwide as a line of frozen pizzas and salad dressings.

Restaurant Business reported CPK's 2022 earnings were $506 million, per Technomic.