Naperville Business Lawyer on the Curious Promotion of Pizza Crusts

In previous posts on this blog, I have talked about a number of marketing strategies and niche products from a wide variety of different companies throughout the country. I will be the first to admit that many of these efforts have been little more than publicity stunts. At the same time, if a publicity stunt garners enough attention and helps the business in question increase its incoming revenue, one could certainly argue that the stunt is a success.

As a business lawyer with more than 40 years of experience, I have helped countless clients develop unique and effective marketing strategies. However, I am not sure I have ever seen a strategy quite as unusual as the one being used by a New Jersey-based pizza chain.

“Just the Crusts”

About 25 years ago, Pizza Hut employed a number of celebrity endorsers to help launch its new Stuffed Crust pizza. If you remember, Pizza Hut’s ads at the time featured personalities like NBA star David Robinson, talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, and the future president of the United States Donald Trump. With the celebrities’ help, Pizza Hut attempted to convince consumers to eat their pizza backward so as to enjoy the mozzarella-stuffed crust while the cheese was hot and delicious.

Fast-forward to the present day and another pizza chain is trying to talk customers into eating the crust first again—but this time, it is crust first because there is only crust! Not stuffed crust. Not flavored crust. Just regular old pizza crust.

Of course, Villa Italian Kitchen, a pizza chain based in New Jersey, does not believe that their crust is just regular old pizza crust. The chain recently issued a statement claiming that customers have been asking about the crust and what makes it so good. In response to these inquiries, Villa Italian Kitchen announced that participating locations would make “Just the Crusts” available to customers. The chain says its crusts are made fresh daily in each location and that the “chewy, bready delight” will be available in a standard slice box for $2.75. It is unclear if the Lincolnwood, IL, location will be participating in the promotion.

Confused Reactions

As you might expect, the news of the promotion has quickly made its way around the internet, and there are many questions that are still unanswered. For example, where do the crusts come from? Are they being cut off whole pizzas? Are they unclaimed leftovers? How are Just the Crusts different from an order of breadsticks? The fact that people are talking about the offer, however, means that the promotion is having its intended effect. Undoubtedly, many who have never heard of Villa Italian Kitchen probably have now—which is the entire point of publicity stunts.

A Naperville Business Lawyer Can Help

If you have a unique idea for attracting new customers, an experienced DuPage County business law attorney can assist you with planning and executing your idea. Contact our office to get the help you need today. Call 630-756-1160 for a confidential consultation at the Gierach Law Firm today.

Sources:

Vice

Fox News