Justin Whitehead also shares how they used video &
audio to promote their 40th anniversary and used creative testing to win back lapsed guests. Can you guess what his go-to pizza is?
- How do you
tailor national campaigns for local franchisees?
Most of this is done on an LRM basis, with materials for LTO’s, community events and local promotions
being offered as window clings, table tents, and other signage. We also have dedicated local campaigns for locations we identify as “Focus Stores” designed to support franchisees who are
facing sales challenges due to outside forces like competitive pressure, construction, or new management. This typically involves supplemental Direct Mail, Paid Social and Display media along with an
increase in their local SEM presence.
It’s Cicis Pizza’s 40th anniversary this year and
the anniversary spot leaned into nostalgia. What was your media mix for the spot to reach new and existing guests?
Outside of owned channels, we relied exclusively on Video and Audio to amplify our 40th Birthday message. We increased our mix
of Video across all tactics: Linear, CTV, OLV, since this is a message that best resonates in that medium. We developed a Hero :30 as well as several :15’s tailored to more specific Cicis
memories and occasions like Family outings, Team parties, and Lunch occasions. We used “Cicis 40” as a secondary message and logo lockup on some LTO and Brand campaigns.
At the last QSR summit you mentioned being successful in bringing back lapsed guests. Do you have any advice on how
other marketers should engage lapsed guests?
Until our loyalty program launches systemwide, we have limited 1st
Party tools to identify and reacquire lapsed guests. We developed an ongoing Display and Video campaign with Epsilon in mid-2024 with an eye towards 1. Retaining current Cicis guests (0-3 months since
last visit), and 2. Recovering lapsed guests (4-18 months since last visit.) While we have yet to unlock the full potential of this program (for example, by testing and deploying separate creative
based on visit frequency or lapsed status) we have still succeeded in not only bringing back lapsed guests, but driving multiple visits from those guests over 90 days throughout the
campaign.
What would you say is the biggest challenge and opportunity for QSR marketers
today?
Creating ownable value for younger generations that increasingly see value in terms other than price point.
What is your go to pizza at Cicis?
My first choice on the buffet is whichever pizza I
haven’t tried yet! But my absolute go-to that I will ask for (if it’s not already on the Buffet) is the Ole Pizza, more commonly known as our Taco Pizza. Close second is the Buffalo
Chicken Pizza. It’s all about variety, though… if I haven’t stacked my plate with at least a dozen different recipes, I consider the visit a failure.
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