The Pizza Hut Offline Hour : Save The World And Eat Free Pizza campaign was a creative initiative that aligned with Earth Hour, encouraging people to disconnect from the internet to save energy and in return, enjoy free pizza.
Campaign Overview
Objective :
To participate in Earth Hour in a unique way by encouraging people to go offline, thus saving more energy than just turning off lights.
Execution :
Pizza Hut created an offline-only website that worked without Wi-Fi or data. People were asked to disconnect from the internet for an entire hour, and if they succeeded, they were rewarded with free pizza.
How It Worked :
A special code was built into the website to detect whether users had an active internet connection. Content was preloaded into the browser’s cache before prompting users to switch off their Wi-Fi and/or data. A countdown timer appeared once people went offline, and reconnecting to the internet would stop the timer
Impact:
By incentivizing users to stay offline, Pizza Hut not only contributed to Earth Hour but also raised awareness about the energy consumption of digital networks and data centers. The campaign encouraged users to consider their digital footprint and its environmental implications.
Success Ratio :
The campaign saw over 10,000 participants during Earth Hour. A total of 3,200+ hours were spent offline by participants. The campaign reached 7.4+ million people.
Impact and Results
The campaign was recognized for its creativity and impact, earning a Silver award at the 2022 Clio Awards. It effectively communicated the brand’s message and commitment to offering free glasses with the same design, quality, and technology as more expensive models
Lessons Learned
Transparency is key in advertising; customers appreciate and respond positively to honest and clear communication.
Experiential marketing can be a powerful tool to convey a message and demonstrate a brand’s unique selling proposition in a tangible way.
Addressing a common pain point, such as the high cost of glasses, with a genuine solution can resonate well with the target audience and differentiate a brand in a competitive market.
