Pizza Hut - the frozen pizza that never was

So apparently Pizza Hut needs to clarify a point - they do not do frozen pizzas. To prove the point, they launched a new product... Frozen pizza. The ad, which apart from the fact that we ended up with food bloggers and their ever-ebullient mood, is actually truly very well done. You pick up a product from the frozen food section, go home, yet never get to defrost it. Why? Because the box is empty! Remember, they do not do frozen pizzas! Instead in the box, you get a coupon for a real daily-made dough pizza from the app of Pizza Hut. Neat!!! I repeat, here's an ad that works, and that proves its point by going through the negative. Watch the ad here.

KFC - sharing is caring

KFC has got a campaign running, based on the concept of "for sharing" or in Arabic "tastier together" (which implies that not only the meal is shared but that there is a certain mix in the meal, which is misleading: there isn't). Still, it is interesting that fast food joints are running campaigns concurrently (see Pizza Hut and McDonald's). Granted, each has their own reason but their presence all together on the market seems to indicate that the market is thriving and doing well. Please note, I rarely go out to begin with, and much less to fast food joints - so yes, maybe they are all doing brisk business. But all signs point to a market that has collapsed at this point.

Pizza Hut, back to the market in full force

Hey, is Pizza Hut back in force in the Lebanese market? They do have a digital campaign running (pity could not photograph it, it just says "follow the slice" - OK fine, not that great of a campaign). But this prompted me to look for them on social media - they seem to have a page on FB which has not been updated for years, but an instagram presence works and seems active (here). Do note that on that page they clearly say "we are back" - but this dates back to (as of today) 95 weeks ago. That's almost two years.

Again note it might be my mistake considering I rarely if ever go out, and less so for pizza joints. But Pizza Hut did leave the market when the crisis started escalating in pulled the plug in 2021 (here). But truth be told, if their "we're back" dates to 2 years ago, then frankly their hiatus was just a few weeks or just a trimester at most (May 2021 they're gone - January 2022 they say they are back).

Interesting, many brands pulled the plug on the Lebanese market but also came back in different shapes or through different dealers or perhaps franchisees etc... So again, here they are with a new so-so campaign on the streets but they seem to mean business.

Pizza Hut and a worthy farewell to the Lebanese market

 

And now it is the turn of Pizza Hut to leave the Lebanese market. At least they left with a bang and with a lot of panache. In an empty pizza box (and one which is soiled with oil coming from a Pizza) a message reads: Until we make more memories.

Then the image continues: 

"In this place there are many memories, we had a lot of good days and many generations would gather here, from the family Sunday lunch of a pizza for the kids after school, to the gathering of friends fighting over the cheese-stuffed crust, to the "hello 1212?", and many many more.

You are used to us procuring the best service and the finest experience, and so in order not to let you down we decided to flip a wonderful page and say goodbye.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the love you have shown us for years, and the unforgettable moments.

Keep those lovely memories in mind.

One day we will  make even more lovelier ones".

Well, if anyone  needs to leave the Lebanese market (hello H&M & co) this is how to be done.