2024 Winner

When an AI-generated pizza commercial – an obvious imitation of a Pizza Hut commercial – turned up online and created buzz, the pizza chain clapped back. Pizza Hut imitated the AI version, rebranding itself as “Pepperoni Hug Spot” (the name of the AI video) across social media, the website, store uniforms, collateral and
one of its locations.

The campaign, by Leo Burnett, went by the same name, and even took the awkward language from the AI video to feature as headlines for its OOH ads. Pizza Hut even created the pizza that was described in the AI video as a limited-time item. The campaign saw a 78% jump in organic impressions and racked up 20 million impressions in 48 hours.

Credits

Agency: Leo Burnett, Toronto
Client: Pizza Hut Canada

Creative Agency: Leo Burnett, Canada
President: Ben Tarr
Co-Chief Creative Officers: Steve Persico, Lisa Greenberg
Chief Strategy Officer: Tahir Ahmad
Managing Director, Account Services: Natasha Dagenais
Group Creative Director: Ryan Lawrence
Senior Copywriter: London Choi
Senior Art Director: Danielle Zablocki
Design Director: Marcelo Hong
Designer: Jason Vandenberg
Senior Producer: Jesse Katzev
Group Strategy Director: Pooja Beri
Senior Strategist: Aleeza Yermus
Group Account Director: Scott Lyons
Account Director: Graham Copestake

Production Company: FUZE Reps
Director: Arash Moallemi
Executive Producer: Nicole Gomez
DOP: Arash Moallemi

Post Production: Leo Burnett Production
Executive Producer: Gord Cathmoir, Janice Rebelo
Post Producer: Shannon Morgan
Editor: Jeff Poremba
Motion Graphics: Dan Purdy
Production Manager: Bill Ing

Media: Wavemaker
Group Account Director: Dan Boem
Media Planner: Rachella Du

Organic Social: Diamond Marketing
Group Account Director: Colleen Kelly
Account Executive: Alice Fortuniak
Associate Creative Director: Marianne Lau
Copywriter, Content Creator: Dylan Kloek
Art Director, Content Creator: Kass Palter
Senior Digital Strategist: Natalie Legault
Producer: Akriti Suman

PR: Edelman
Senior Vice President: Maggie Waymark
Senior Account Manager: Shae Pollock
Account Manager: Shantelle Naomi Pereira

Client: Pizza Hut Canada
Chief Brand Officer: Daniel Meynen
Marketing Director: Jennifer Ligotti
Marketing Manager: Daniela Di Vito