Pizza Hut is hoping to "deliver a message of unity" to the 70% of Americans "who identify as NFL fans" with its first creative effort since becoming the league's official pizza partner, according to Jessica Wohl of AD AGE. A new 30-second spot called "Lines," via GSD&M, Austin, ran during the first quarter of Thursday's season-opening Falcons-Eagles game that began with "shots of various football moments as a voice-over mentions the line of scrimmage, goal lines and yard lines." Then the message is "delivered, on cue, as a guy gets his pizzas delivered." The voice-over says, "If we look beyond the lines, all that's left is common ground." Then a "gathering of people, from various ethnicities, happily eat pizza while watching football." Pizza Hut Chief Brand Officer Marianne Radley said that the ad is "set to run during every NFL game this weekend, and during some college games the following weekend." Wohl reported the ad "doesn't include the NFL shield, which official sponsors can use." Radley said that the lack of the NFL logo is "because Pizza Hut wants the values message to play more broadly, not just to NFL fans" (ADAGE.com, 9/6).
SOMETHING'S MISSING: ADWEEK's David Griner noted Bud Light also debuted a new ad Thursday as part of its "Dilly Dilly" campaign. However, the ad, called “A Royal Affair,” "notably omits any shouts of 'Dilly Dilly,' highlighting that Bud Light is being careful not to overuse the catchphrase." Bud Light VP/Marketing Andy Goeler said the brand is "being careful not to burn it out.” The new spot "expands the Dillyverse by introducing Count and Countess Pamplemousse, annoying aristocrats who seem to be itching for a guillotine." It is "part of a recent series with the tagline, 'For the many, not the few'" (ADWEEK.com, 9/6).
