Papa Johns unveiled Tuesday a refreshed brand platform that highlights its premium ingredients and focuses on “the shared, emotional truth of pizza devotion.”
Called “Better Get You Some,” the marketing strategy comes with hypnotic visuals, a new soundtrack, a hip hop–themed multimedia experience, expressionist art, and cultural touchstones, according to the company.
Papa Johns’ latest commercial features the work of six-time Grammy award-winning rap artist Big Boi and two-time Grammy award-winning director Dave Meyers. The advertisement was built in partnership with the Martin Agency.
“Better Get You Some captures and champions the role pizza devotion plays in all our lives – during moments big and small. Whether it’s cheering on your favorite team during the championship, catching up with friends you haven’t seen in a while or capping off a late-night study session – we’re showcasing those moments when the only thing that will make them better is pizza,” CMO Mark Shambura said in a statement. “By elevating the pizza passion our fans have through our new brand platform, we’re not just telling you why our pizza is better; we’re showing you how the Papa Johns experience is superior.”
The enhanced advertisement follows the announcement of Papa Johns’ “Back to Better 2.0” framework in January. As part of the plan, franchisees overwhelmingly voted in favor of increasing their contribution to the national marketing fund. Then-CEO Rob Lynch said this will help the pizza chain activate a new strategy this year, based on a review of the company’s creative and media efforts in 2023. Papa Johns said it identified opportunities to improve audience selection, offer differentiated category solutions, improve marketing return on ad spend, sustain loyalty, and create cultural buzz.
“This will increase the productivity of their holistic marketing contributions by leveraging the scale national investments deliver,” Papa Johns said at the time.
The “Better Get You Some” call to action coincides with Papa Johns’ new Crispy Cuppy ‘Roni category, which includes the NY Style Crispy Cuppy ‘Roni Pizza, the Crispy Cuppy ‘Roni Papadia, and the Crispy Cuppy ‘Roni Papa Bites.
Papa Johns is currently being led by interim CEO Ravi Thanawala after Lynch left to become chief executive of Shake Shack. Last year, the chain opened 57 net new restaurants in North America. In 2024, it expects 20 percent higher growth, which would be about 70 net new units. North America same-store sales rose 1.8 percent in Q4 and 0.8 percent in 2023. Papa Johns finished 2023 with 5,906 locations systemwide, including 3,433 in North America
