Introduction

– Agency: SS+K New York

– Launch date: 16/11/2011

– Brand: Mr. Pizza

– Brand origin: Korea

– Product lifecycle in US market: Introduction

Problem spot

Koreans make pizza? Do you think the Americans will eat pizzas made by Asian? Any traditional marketing will have no effect upon those Americans because they were so familiar with Pizza Hut and Domino Pizza.

First trial of the product is necessary, but tools such as sales promotion or sampling will surely have little effect. The problem is first of all, how to make Americans taste pizza orginated from Korea?

Objective

–         Persuade Amercians to taste the products, but not devalue the brand

Creative strategy

Theme: Mr.Pizza created a disputed statement of the origin of Pizza. Pizza is in fact made from Korea and was stolen by Marco Polo, a famous Italian explorer. The dispute utilizes the element of humour and patriotism.

Promotion tools

PR- A viral documentary film

Beginning of the documentary is a man carrying the picture of Marco Polo with an X and the word “Thief”.  Next, they film the interviews of housewives, students, bloggers, scholars and doctors who all confirmed the Korean origin of pizza. Mr.Pizza’s CEO also appeared in the interview, claiming that his acestors made pizza. They used old paintings, artifacts and even the old statue Eunjin Mireuk as evidence for their claim. The humour occurs when the scholars claim that what the statue Eunjin Mireuk carrying on her head was a buy-1-get-1-free pizza, with the top square being the garlic bread given for free.

The 3.75-minute-long documentary video:

Results

The documentary attracted 2.2 million views, and was quickly shared across social media channels, even on mass media such as Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. The campaign made 2m USD of earned media (free media) and brought 1600% on ROI. And what’s more important was now Mr.Pizza has been known widely by the Amercians and found a stand in the market.