Cicis Pizza has selected The LOOMIS Agency to help accelerate the brand’s momentum coming out of the pandemic with a fresh new take on the pizza buffet concept it originated. LOOMIS has been tapped to develop new brand creative for 2022 as the chain pushes past 300 units and continues to rebound.
Cicis president and COO, Jeff Hetsel, is leading the company’s rapid resurgence with a focus on improving value, emphasizing product customization, and reconnecting with lapsed customers. The chain has also added takeout and delivery options to meet customer expectations as the company orients itself for accelerated growth in the year ahead.
“Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve got a terrific opportunity to re-create and re-build the brand with the future in mind, and our partnership with LOOMIS is a big part of that process,” Hetsel says. LOOMIS engaged with Cicis on project assignments earlier this year as the company renewed its marketing efforts. The success of that work drove the decision to hire the agency as its creative agency of record. Hetsel said the agency’s successful track record in the restaurant category and its depth of experience working with franchised systems were also important factors in the decision to formalize the partnership.
LOOMIS began working with Cicis in April and helped the chain achieve its best sales month since the start of the pandemic in July, according to Julie Ondrusek, LOOMIS partner and director of client services. She said sales growth for the chain has remained steady and strong through the summer and into the fall.
“Boosting trial and traffic is what it’s all about right now in the restaurant industry and that’s only going to intensify as we head into 2022 and consumers start looking for value again,” Ondrusek says.
The agency is working to reconnect people with the Cicis brand with the launch of several new products, including the 16-inch Giant Pizza and the Pepperoni and Jalapeno Poppers, along with the reintroduction of its popular Deep-Dish Pizza, according to Ondrusek.
