When a past client of mine reached out last year, we knew we had a delicious task ahead. The mission: to re-engage on an out-of-home campaign for Papa Johns Prairies, managed by Perfect Delivery Canada, covering Alberta and Manitoba. With Swank Collective leading the creative charge and True Media handling the media buying, we were ready to serve something tasty.

Strategic Media Adaptations

Entering 2024, our focus with Papa Johns shifted to a more localized approach for their Alberta franchise group. Facing challenges in Q3/Q4 2023 with sales not meeting expectations due to increased competition and pricing issues, True Media proposed a pivot to the media strategy.

Understanding that family decision-makers often hold the key to pizza night, True Media tailored their strategy to reach them where they are. Research showed that while Papa Johns has traditionally targeted their messaging and media buys to a more male, sports-watching audience, families make up a significant portion of their clientele. This insight guided the strategy and media placement choices:

Strategic Shifts

Audience Targeting: Moved from a primarily male, sports-focused audience to targeting families and female decision-makers with higher household incomes.
Media Mix Enhancement: Increased presence in key pizza consumption moments like Super Bowl and Valentine's Day, leveraging OOH, radio, and targeted digital campaigns.
Regional Focus: Strengthened presence in smaller markets and rural areas with localized campaigns for better coverage and impact.

Media Buys

OOH campaign: Billboards & bus Shelters: focused on high-traffic locations and areas within 2km of Papa Johns and competitor stores. This included high-impact billboards and transit shelters strategically placed to maximize message visibility and frequency.
Radio strategy shifted from a few sports stations to a broad reach schedule targeting young families and female audiences during key drive times. Audio streaming was also utilized to extend reach to audiences at work.
TV was introduced with a tactical mix of lower thirds and 15-second spots during news and higher profile shows to build frequency across a broad demographic. Streaming complemented this to reach a light linear TV audience effectively.
A strengthened small market and rural campaign ensured local coverage at Papa Johns locations, moving away from relying on overflow from other markets.

The Concept: Only Better

Building on Papa Johns’ iconic tagline, "Better Ingredients, Better Pizza," we crafted a campaign that embodied this promise with a twist of fun. Our aim was to highlight the "better" in everyday phrases, sayings, and idioms, all while keeping it light-hearted with lines like: Get Better Soon. Make Better Choices. It’s Pizza, only Better and our simple but compelling call to commuters via rotating billboards to make Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… every day - Better with Papa Johns.

Keeping It Fresh: Iterative Creativity

To maintain momentum and interest, we designed various iterations of the campaign. Each version retained a consistent look and feel with vibrant colors and humorous copy that always circled back to the "Better" theme. This approach ensured that the campaign stayed fresh and engaging throughout the year.

The Impact: Mid-Year Reflections

Halfway through the year, the campaign has already made significant strides. High visibility and a humorous twist have not only kept the brand top-of-mind but also driven home the message that Papa Johns delivers better – in every sense of the word.

By Q1/Q2 2024, our efforts delivered over 160 million high-impact impressions, and have boosted year-over-year sales. This strategic realignment is working hard to reposition Papa Johns as a top choice for family dining while also revitalizing their brand presence in competitive markets.

With more iterations on the horizon, we’re excited to continue delivering not just better pizza, but a better pizza campaign.