• January 21, 2008

Pizza Hut is airing a new ad encouraging young Americans to get involved in the political process by voting for the next U.S. President.

The new 30-second ad features two college students, one of whom is questioning whether he should vote in this year's Presidential election. The other student stresses the importance of voting, and encourages the doubting student to let his voice be heard by voting, convincing him to cast his ballot.

This is the first time in Pizza Hut's 50-year history the company has run an ad to promote a public policy issue rather than promoting its pizza. The company's new Pizza Mia $5 value pizza is shown in the ad as a product placement, but is never referenced or specifically promoted.

The new ad is the second in a series of Pizza Hut's Pizza Mia Presidential Election ads. It will run in the Presidential primary states of South Carolina and Nevada just before the primaries, and on national network television.

--Nina M. Lentini