In some interesting news from the Middle East, Pizza Hut has pranked its own customers with a new frozen pizza range that contains no pizza, brought to life via Publicis Middle East.
In a bid to bring awareness to its fresh dough, the new range surprised customers when they opened the pizza box. Pizza Hut placed the empty frozen pizza boxes in select supermarkets across the region.
The new frozen pizza range is Pizza Hut Middle East’s first foray into the frozen goods section. While the launch itself caught many off guard, the true surprise awaited inside the box. Customers found a note explaining why it was empty.
“Sorry, we don’t do frozen pizzas,” the note said.
“Our dough is freshly made every single day. But don’t worry, here’s a voucher to get a fresh one on our app”.
“Publicis Middle East decided to humorously call out that even when Pizza Hut does frozen pizzas, they don’t,” said Augusto Correia, creative director for Pizza Hut, Publicis Middle East.
“Like most people, at first I assumed Pizza Hut’s dough was pre-made and frozen. It then became clear to us that we needed to prove the public wrong with something just as surprising as the fact itself. So, the reason behind the stunt wasn’t just about poking fun—it was a way of cutting through the noise and debunking a common misconception about the Quick Service Restaurants industry, added Correia.
Beverley D’Cruz, general manager – Middle East and Pakistan at Pizza Hut says of the idea, “In today’s world, consumers are overwhelmed with information, especially around food quality. We wanted people to be engaged. This stunt allowed us to showcase our commitment to freshness. When people are surprised, they pay attention—and they remember.”
