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Creating a comprehensive, data-driven strategy that would not only drive awareness but also translate directly into measurable sales for Lou Malnati's
Lou Malnati's, a Chicago staple and one of the most respected names in the deep-dish pizza industry, was seeking to expand its reach and attract new customers with a highly unique, limited-time offer (LTO), the Buffalou Chicken Pizza, a collaboration with Frank's RedHot Sauces. This was more than just another menu addition; it was a new flavor profile added to the Lou's flavor selection that needed to resonate with existing fans and intrigue new ones, particularly in the key markets of Chicago and Phoenix.
The Buffalou Chicken Pizza limited-time offer was an opportunity to address a key challenge for Lou Malnati’s, a 30% YoY decline in new users. We needed to attract a new audience while staying true to the brand’s core identity.
Our mission was to create a comprehensive, data-driven strategy that would not only drive awareness but also translate directly into measurable sales, showcasing our relentless pursuit of more business impact.
Leveraging both historical and industry insights, we were able to strategically reach the most qualified consumers and drive business growth. Our team uncovered that audiences in both Chicago and Phoenix over-indexed in consumption of "big screen" media. While many of their competitors were hyper-focused on digital-only campaigns, our insight revealed that a larger, multi-channel strategy—combining broad-reach awareness plays with highly targeted digital tactics—would create the perfect recipe for success. This approach allowed us to reach consumers where they were most receptive and drive a powerful message about a new, exciting product.
The Strategy: The Perfect Recipe
Our strategy was a finely tuned, two-step plan built on the foundation of purpose-led channel selection to ensure we were creating meaningful connections with Lou’s potential customers. We used a blend of high-impact awareness channels and targeted, demand-capturing tactics to ensure every dollar was working efficiently.
1. The Reach Play: Driving Mass Awareness
To efficiently reach the target audience, our awareness media focused on big screen opportunities and key partnerships. Based on our consumption reports, we selected channels with proven reach and influence. We executed a series of high-impact placements on broadcast networks like NBC and ABC and curated custom segments on popular local shows like WLS, Windy City Weekend, and WGN Morning News. We also partnered with influential brands and personalities, most notably Barstool Sports. We leveraged their icon, Frank Borelli, and their Chicago office to create viral, authentic content that resonated with their deeply loyal audience. This included the "Frank Walks" series, a golf outing with Marc Malnati, and a trending TikTok Creator Challenge.
2. The Digital Demand Engine: Capturing Intent
In order to capture and convert demand created by our awareness efforts, we leveraged key digital channels and online video.
On TikTok, we used a combination of interest targeting, behavior targeting, hashtag targeting (e.g., "hot sauce," "buffalo chicken"), and lookalike audiences based on past purchasers and website visitors to find and convert hungry consumers.
To effectively showcase the new pizza, we knew that the innovative use of video was essential. We utilized a YouTube Masthead for a full homepage takeover, ensuring massive visibility, and combined it with YouTube Shorts campaigns for efficient reach. We also leveraged user-generated content (UGC) from our influencer partnerships, which not only minimized creative fatigue but also provided a steady stream of authentic, high-performing assets.
The Measurement Strategy: Fueling More Accountable Media
We ensured every dollar was accountable by focusing on business outcomes, not just media metrics. Our measurement strategy focused on three key KPIs to go beyond clicks and impressions to measure the true impact on our target key markets.
- Site Engagement: We knew that increased website visits and engagement were the first signs our creative was driving action. We tracked site traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates to gauge immediate success.
- New Users: To reverse the YoY decline in new users, we monitored our performance against this metric regularly. Our optimization strategy was dynamic, with daily adjustments to channels and targeting based on which tactics were most effectively reversing this negative trend.
- Downstream Revenue: The ultimate measure of success was revenue. We implemented advanced tracking and modeling to directly attribute sales and revenue to our paid media efforts. Our goal was to show a direct link between our campaign and the number of Buffalou Chicken Pizzas sold.
The Results
Our comprehensive strategy for Lou Malnati x Franks Red Hot paid off with an impactful and profitable launch. The campaign not only introduced a new, successful offer but also reversed a critical business trend.
- Total Site Visits: We drove 493k site visits, a +5% increase compared to the previous period.
- Revenue Growth: The campaign generated $4.5M in total revenue, a +1% increase vs. the previous period.
- Product Success: We sold 26K Buffalou Chicken Pizzas, a remarkable +16% increase in LTO purchases compared to a similar promotion with Mike's Hot Honey.
- Reversing the Trend: Most importantly, we successfully reversed the -30% YoY decline in new users. During the active flight, we achieved a +1% year-over-year lift, a dramatic +31% reversal that brought new life and new customers to the brand.
By strategically fusing high-impact awareness and precise digital execution, we not only met Lou Malnati’s goal but we exceeded it, raising the bar and further proving how a thoughtful, data-driven approach leads to achieving more profitable growth.
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