'The Hut' gets ready for its TV closeup and says get lost to Pizza
Filed under: Food, Recession Diaries
Move over, G (Gatorade). And that squiggly red-white-and-blue symbol standing in for "Pepsi" on billboards across America? You've got company, with or without pepperoni.Yet another fast food icon is moving to streamline, with Pizza Hut rebranding a significant portion of its chain as "The Hut."
"They're trying to be trendier and appeal to younger consumers, and that's such a tricky thing to do," said John Frank, editorial director for Marketing News, a publication of American Marketing Association. "But we're not sure if they're going to convert every store to The Hut. Our understanding is that this is not a chain-wide thing."
Not yet, anyway, and not all at once. But to drive the new name home, Pizza Hut (what else can we call it for now?) has launched what they bill as a first-of-its kind in-store, digital video network. Installed in 20 stores in Jacksonville, Fla., and four in Dallas, the network will appear in more locations into 2010, according to Mediaweek.
The media planning and buying company Mediaedge:cia (MEC) announced The Hut's new network on June 11, and made clear its intentions to spread the technology out to other retailers. Pizza Hut has dubbed it "Hut TV" (though we at WalletPop like the ring of "The Hutwork").
Here's how it works: Instead of third-party advertisers controlling Hut TV content, Pizza Hut's store and franchise operators do. This means that they determine the mix of programming, relevant information and promo material they want, with the potential to cater straight to the needs of local audiences.This also signals a strategic shift for MEC. "This new system speaks to the changing role of MEC Retail," said David Sommer, Managing Partner of MEC Retail, in a prepared statement. "We are not just planning and buying media for our clients, but leveraging relationships to create effective tools that help clients actively engage their consumers to drive business."
Driving business is one thing, but a video screen can't cook a mean pizza. What's more, it remains to be seen how the Pizza Hut loyal will respond to any move toward a name change. (Remember how much people hated it when Prince changed his moniker to the Squiggly Symbol?)
And in an age of smart phones, information on demand and stimuli bombardment, it's an optimistic leap between new message technology in stores and people actually paying attention to it.
"It's too soon to tell if it will have any impact," says Frank. "TV networks in supermarkets basically promote products, so this is not anything revolutionary. But it will be interesting to see what kind of content goes up there. We're saturated with media now, and there's always the danger that people are going to tune this out. It will all come back to the content, and how different it's going to be. In a world where we're flooded with content, what's in there is all important."
All in all, it's a long way from the very first Pizza Hut ads, which featured the slogan "Putt Putt to Pizza Hut." The chain dates back half a century to 1958, when Dan and Frank Carney founded it in Kansas. The two former Wichita State University students borrowed $600 to open their first store; in 1977, the chain was sold to PepsiCo. for $300,000,000. With more than 12,000 locations worldwide, the chain is now based in Addison, Texas and has been part of Yum! Brands since 1997. As for the Carneys, they're still around, with Frank now a player in the Papa John's pizza chain.
Those who thought up "The Hut" campaign may not know this, but Pizza Hut got its name because the Carney Brothers ran out of room on their very first store sign. After the word "Pizza," only a three-letter word would fit. And "Hut" was it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
6-17-2009 @ 3:08PM
Mike Spitzer said...
As a person who consults business in mergers/acquisitions and improving operations & increasing marketshare with good success, I have to say I disagree with this strategy at Pizza Hut.
Since MOST companies are trying to "be trendy and appeal to the younger potential client base" I have been saying for years that Pizza Hut should go the 180 degree OPPOSITE direction in their strategy and play up a nostalgic angle to take advantage of an overall aging American Population........ many of whom have fond memories of Pizza Hut from theri younger days.
Many of these 35+ year olds look at America today and have nostalgic memories of that they feel was a better nation in the 70s, 80s and 90s and try to hold on or recapture some of that "traditonal classic American feel" whenever possible.
I feel Pizza Hut will get lost in the crowd trying this very common and unoriginal strategy of trying to be trendy and appealing to younger kids.......... almost everybody tries that simplistic strategy and thus end up all competing head to head against each other.
I would advise Pizza Hut to play up it's nostalgic angle and appeal to the older crowd (35+) who are becoming the larger majority in the country and have the $$ to spend and would prefer eating out AWAY from youth and kids.
Let Little Ceasars, Dominoes, Papa John, etc..etc..etc.. all go the other way.
Make Pizza Hut a step above.
I used to love Pizza Hut in the 70s and 80s , but we stopped going when most of them became "downscaled" and got dirtier, louder, cheaper, and otherwise lost their identity and became nothing more than a feeding trough for the masses.
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6-17-2009 @ 3:54PM
Karen said...
Our Pizza Hut here is filthy ... the dining area
6-18-2009 @ 12:38AM
Rene said...
I totally agree with you.....I use to love pizza hut as well back in the 70's and 80's. Then when they started using the freeze dried veggies there pizza just was not the same. And then they got rid of the salad bar and the pastas that were actually good back then. At least here it changed. I haven't really cared for pizza hut since then. Also they don't have the dine in anymore here in illinois. I agree they need to go back and make it what it once was......
6-18-2009 @ 2:10AM
Brandon said...
Here in Indianapolis they got rid of all the "eat in" Pizza Huts and that sucks!
6-18-2009 @ 11:02AM
Linda said...
I couldn't agree with you more. We are in our early 50's and one of our pizza huts closed because the quality was awful, kids ran rampant and it was getting downright dirty. Luckily another one is just the opposite. If that location decides to become trendy rather than consumer friendly we will stop going there. When we go out, we don't mind a few, well behaved children, but having a meal interrupted with screeching, screaming, running and spankings isn't our idea of a fun time especially with times what they are. We may not be considered elderly (at least I hope not, lol) but hubby has bladder cancer and it is hard for him to move around much and dodging racing, screaming kids is simply impossible for him. Parents, if you can't keep them under control. We didn't have them and don't appreciate your lack of considertaion.
6-18-2009 @ 7:02AM
LT_Prasuhn said...
HERE! HERE! Well said, friend. The world's going to 'pot (literally and figuratively). Why should our 'eating' places follow suit?
Nostalgia is what makes the world 'stay' young -- at least that's what helps me stay young (in the lower 60s -- a WWII Baby Boomer -- and dad wasn't in the military! ) :-)
6-17-2009 @ 3:39PM
Dave said...
I agree that Pizza Hut should go with a more nostalgic approach,I have worked at Pizza Hut for 8 years and have watched the store lose business. We keep adding all kinds of trendy new items to the menu and make it complicated to just have customers call and order a pizza. The focus is now on pasta and wings or whatever dumb new product we are supposed to be pushing that month. We need to get focused and put the PIZZA back into PIZZA Hut!
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6-17-2009 @ 4:02PM
leo said...
I used to eat only at Pizza Hut, but no more. The idiots that are running it now have just about brought the once proud franchise to its knees. They used to sell a great spaghetti with meatballs and they got rid of that. The last straw was when they removed the pork sausage and replaced it with Sliced All-Natural Rustica Sausage , that is down right nasty. Either way, until they get back to the good stuff, I will continue on ordering from Pizza Inn. For my money Pizza Inn is much better.
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6-17-2009 @ 4:22PM
ganderbeek said...
Pizza Hut was once a great place but no longer. Their idea will be their demise. I use to go to PH in the 70s with my Rock Band and our entourage and it (PH) was the ONLY super pizza place, but now that's only a nice memory. PH, go back to what you once was; we would APPRECIATE IT.
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6-17-2009 @ 4:46PM
jannyj58 said...
I would love to see them bring back thier Big New Yorker... that was the best pizza that they had as far as my family was concerned. They have not liked it since the did away with that pizza....
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6-18-2009 @ 2:08PM
Catmoves said...
"The Hut?"
"The HUT?"
My stomach churns at the thought of what kind of food might come from a "Hut".
A fishing hut? Guts and all?
A hunting hut? Guts and fur?
A wicked witch hut? Guts from victims and all?
No thanks. Bye bye PH.
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6-17-2009 @ 5:16PM
Cheryl said...
We prefer Pizza Hut over all others, but our's is dirty, never have the ingredients needed for the type pizza we want to order. It's run by a bunch of clowns. Many times, they have lost our order. Pizza Hut is fine the way it is, just get qualified managers and employees. Keep it clean and dependable to serve our needs. It's also in a horrible location and there is seldom a person eating in house, probably due to the giggly employees and the dirt.
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6-17-2009 @ 5:32PM
huskygirl2014 said...
my parents, little brother and i used to go to PH every friday night when me and my brother were littler, but we never go now. ours is dirty, and gross. there is horrible service and there is when we occassionally go they have cut out yet another of our favorites. we especially like the bruschetta, but is it there anymore? nope. go back to the way you were pizza hut, dont change more, cuz nobody likes it, 'cept you.
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6-17-2009 @ 7:19PM
dick said...
Who the fu** is Lou Carlozo and where did he get the notion that he was a journalist? With his opening sentence he misspells Gatorade. The first sentence in his second paragraph is incomplete, due to the fact that the word "said" is not included after "John Frank." Nice going WalletPoop... keep on hiring those matchbook cover "journalists."
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6-17-2009 @ 7:22PM
Lou Carlozo said...
Those are good catches, thanks. As for who I am, I'm the kind of journalist who rises above insults.
6-17-2009 @ 9:07PM
m3ggan said...
Dick, you're a moron. Really. Don't the journalist have people to spell check and what-not?
Anyway, what do you do for a living? Why don't you let me come watch you work so I can criticize everything you do. Oh, what's that, you don't work? lmfao
6-17-2009 @ 6:50PM
Rick said...
The "Hut" by me closed and the building torn down to make room for a pharmacy store.. It was there for over 20 years. Afew times the service was awful for a pizza joint.
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6-17-2009 @ 7:20PM
George said...
What happened to all of the pizza huts in MA? There are hardly anymore sit down pizza hut restaurants. I used to love going to pizza hut the breadsticks were the best I ever had. it's a shame there's nothing good anymore.
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6-17-2009 @ 7:32PM
Randy said...
Pizza Hut totally lost touch with the market years ago. In our part of the county, they closed all the restaurants, and elected to go take out only locations. I agree that some of us have found memories of sitting down to a meal with family or friends, and don't want all the trendy marketing products and redesign. Wake up and smell the pizza sauce you pin head marketing flunkies! Stop worrying so much about reinventing the American concept of a pizza, give people a clean restaurant, with good service, and good food, and stop trying to force Generation X,Z, or Q or whatever marketing gimmicks on the public. Fire all the idiots who think they know what Americans want in a PIZZA and place to enjoy it!
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6-19-2009 @ 9:31AM
J. D. Peck said...
I agree - keep it nostalgic, including the juke box.
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