The Hut Lovers® Flavor Network was the first-ever live-streamed event from Pizza Hut. The live-stream content was inspired by classic TV home shopping networks, where viewers can call in to buy anything and everything they don’t really need from the comfort of their homes. Our spoof of these shows came to life as a three-hour satirical live-stream, hosted by an improv comedy group. The live-stream required a simple transaction: Enjoy the show and sign up for the Hut Lovers® Email Program for a chance to win prizes. Throughout the three hours, viewers could sign up anytime for a chance to win selfie sticks, a year’s supply of free pizza and an Xbox One + Halo 5: Guardians gaming bundle. This cutting-edge digital execution was a category first and significantly broadened the audience for the Hut Lovers® Email Program.

The live-stream promotion ran for one day only on October 21, 2015. Partnering with a local improv group, the three-hour live-stream featured a satirical take on traditional home shopping networks. Dubbed the Hut Lovers® Flavor Network, the live-stream showcased Pizza Hut products while promoting the Hut Lovers® Email Program and giving away new prizes each hour. Pizza Hut shared the live-stream on PizzaHutLive.com and promoted it across Twitter and Facebook. The promotion was simple and accessible so followers shared #PizzaHutLive, which trended on Twitter all three hours. By listening to what viewers were saying on social media, we were able to integrate their feedback into live-stream content in real time. We even mentioned users by name. No scripts—just a fast-reacting team and clever talent who could pivot on demand.

Sales: (Please see Confidential Information For Jury section)

88.5% of visitors registered for the Hut Lovers® Email Program. Net brand sentiment increased by +5% during the promotion, and acquisition of new members was 5X our goal. Further, with 40M+ impressions online, the engagement with this hardworking email program reached new heights. The majority of the engaged audience aligned with our target.

The promotion hashtag #PizzaHutLive was a trending topic on Twitter (even against competitive conversations around #BackToTheFutureDay, #IfIHadAHoverboard and #KimKardashiansBday). Users watched the live-stream for 12.3 minutes on average. And unlike traditional forms of content such as TV, our audience CHOSE to watch and participate in this live-stream and acquisition promotion. 45% of visitors came back to the live-stream multiple times.

The Hut Lovers® Flavor Network was a pizza category first. A three-hour-long, non-stop live-stream promoting the Hut Lovers® Email Program at Pizza Hut. With a very limited media budget we had to rely on the content itself to increase online reach so we chose to create a live-stream to leverage the exciting and unpredictable nature of live content and the mass appeal of video. We delighted online consumers with this unique approach to acquiring new membership to an email program. The live-stream promotion’s reach was extended via organic traction from users sharing the promotion on Facebook and Twitter.

When consumers join the Hut Lovers® Email Program, their membership leads to sales. But the program needed to be promoted in a new way to bring in more members and reinvigorate existing ones.

For this assignment, we were challenged to attract online pizza consumers targeting men and women ages 25–34 specifically. These consumers were to be acquired as new members of the Hut Lovers® Email Program.

This promotion needed to create a new sense of excitement around an email program, which is a tough ask. To create a promotion that best fit our brand and attract a fresh, younger audience, we had to get consumers’ attention; so we used humor to encourage emotional engagement in the moment. This allowed for a sign-up experience so unique and enticing, consumers couldn’t ignore it. Our satirical take on traditional American home shopping networks did just that.

With its millions of members, the Hut Lovers® Email Program at Pizza Hut is a proven channel for online sales. Members of the program have opted in to receive exclusive deals and product news via email. Since 2011 the results have been incredible with +636% overall sales growth in five short years. The program, however, must continue to grow its membership and evolve by recruiting new members and contributing more sales.

A goal for the Pizza Hut brand is to continue to increase pizza orders placed online. To do so, we targeted a younger, more digitally connected pizza buyer. To attract, engage and acquire their email address, we’d need to create a promotion centered on captivating content that would make a big splash and capture their attention.

Objectives measured were acquisition of new members, re-engagement of existing members, consumer participation, viewing of the live-stream, social reach and social engagement.