Pizza Hut will be making its first appearance in the Super Bowl, with one spot by Interpublic Group of Cos.' Martin Agency appearing in the first half of the game on Feb. 6, 2011.
The ad buy, which was led by Pizza Hut's vice president of advertising, Kurt Kane, marks a change of course for the restaurant chain, which has long opted to gain exposure around the big game, but has not actually been in it. Pizza Hut has served as the presenting sponsor on NFL Networks' GameDay Morning program, and has run ads leading up to the event. This year's game airs on Fox.
In the past those spots have included celebrities such as Jessica Simpson and Donald Trump. For the 2010 Super Bowl Pizza Hut used the pre-game to debut work from Martin, which it hired in 2009 after more than two decades working with Omnicom Group's BBDO. That campaign largely promoted a low-price strategy to consumers, touting $10 pizzas.
"In the past we've focused on a specific product on Super Bowl Sunday, so our strategy was to advertise that product pre-game, giving our customers time to order it," said Mr. Kane. "This year, we will be focusing on the brand during the in-game spot with a fully integrated plan. We'll be highlighting the role that the Pizza Hut brand plays in customers' lives beyond the game and throughout the year."
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