Pizza Hut has a major play underway for its first activation as an NFL sponsor running an integrated game round the 2018 NFL Draft.
The 78th pick in the draft—or “Pi Pick”—will be celebrated with a pizza party for the player in the new hometown that selects him. Free pizza will flow for a year and gift cards can be shared with teammates. The Draft begins April 26.
NFL superstar and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has been drafted as ambassador for the “Doorbell Dance” campaign, a playful video showing Smith-Schuster—with knees and elbows pumping—as the doorbell rings to celebrate the arrival of a Pizza Hut pizza. He calls on others to enter a sweepstakes to create and submit videos of their own doorbell dances for a chance to win a trip to an NFL regular season game. Fans can submit their Doorbell Dance on Instagram April 26-28, tagging @PizzaHut, #PizzaHutHut and #sweepstakes. Smith-Schuster will also appear as a social media correspondent on the Red Carpet, marking the first time a brand has ever had a spokesperson positioned on the highly anticipated NFL Draft Red Carpet, Pizza Hut says.
Onsite at the Draft, Pizza Hut will host an experience outside the stadium where people can record their doorbell dance moves in a 360-degree camera, compete in a delivery shuttle obstacle course, hang with friends in the Pizza Hut lounge and enjoy a few slices of free pizza.
In restaurants customers can order the special “NFL Draft Box” featuring two medium pizzas, an order of wings and breadsticks starting at $19.99 throughout the Draft.
“The NFL Draft is a moment of hope and anticipation for players and fans alike, and our mission at Pizza Hut during the Draft is to help fans celebrate the start,” said Zipporah Allen, CMO, Pizza Hut, U.S.
Earlier this year, Pizza Hut signed a multi-year agreement with the NFL, just hours after Papa John’s announced it had prematurely ended its sponsorship as the official pizza of the NFL. Pizza Hut’s deal allows a vast array of exclusive marketing rights, benefits and designations. The sponsorship will connect the brand with the NFL and its teams, players, events, partners, properties and the many NFL experiences that capture the passion of consumers and football fans from all over the world.
The Pizza Hut partnership with the NFL includes collective use of all 32 team marks and involves the NFL working closely with Pizza Hut to facilitate local, exclusive team partnerships. Pizza Hut has the opportunity to leverage game tickets and unique fan experiences to all NFL games in marketing and promotional campaigns throughout each year.
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