• Brandweek, Tuesday, January 9, 2007 11:45 AM

In the midst of a sales slump, Pizza Hut is going after rival chains Domino's and Papa John's, mentioning them by name in a new ad campaign calling itself "America's favorite pizza."

The TV effort, which began on New Year's Eve, replaced the "Go for the good stuff" campaign. In the new spots, the red roof from the Pizza Hut logo slammed on houses where people are eating its pan pizzas. Domino's and Papa John's delivery guys are also seen eating Pizza Hut and saying: "Now this is real pan pizza. Sure tastes better ... more toppings too."

While the strategy of naming competitors can be risky, Pizza Hut had to do something, says Steve Coomes, senior editor of PizzaMarketplace.com: "Given the year they had, I'm not surprised they're making some drastic moves." The chain's same-store sales fell 5% in the third quarter of 2006, the third quarter in a row such sales were off, while Domino's was off 3% and Papa John's rose 4%. And Papa John's is happy about the new tactic: "It's an honor that our competitor would consider putting our name, logo and brand in their ads. It drives our awareness," says creative director Kevin Matthews.

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