Palermo’s Urban Pie

Relaunching a brand with more appetizing creative

Brand Strategy, Campaign Ideation & Production, Media Buying & Management

Hitting on flavor. Missing on connection.

Palermo’s, makers of fine frozen pizzas since 1954, is able to compete bite-for-bite against frozen pizza goliaths. Their new premium Urban Pie variety was no exception. The problem was, the initial launch campaign failed to break through and compel shoppers in the frozen aisle.

Testing creative ingredients

To deliver a campaign that would capture the attention of the urban-dwelling, millennial female target audience, we created three inexpensive prototype ads and served them up on Facebook and Instagram. Then we waited to see which creative would rise to the top.

Fully baking the winning concept

Within 60 days, we had the data our clients had been looking for: the story-based concept resonated most with their desired audience. Armed with insights, we expanded the winning creative concept — “Pizza Match” — into a larger integrated launch campaign. In the process, we established a new model for future launches at Palermo’s.

The Work

When Palermo's asked for the sequel, we wondered: what happens when the relationship with your pizza gets serious?

Through nimble concepting, creating and testing, we successfully captured the attention of the target audience. In the process, we established a new model for future launches at Palermo’s.

5.9 MM

overall impressions for social testing

2.4 MM

were exposed

1.3 MM

people engaged with the content

“We were in a tough spot because we’d already done a big launch campaign for this product, and it didn’t drive the results we needed. So we demanded several versions of new creative — and a scrappy way to identify the right concept without expensive and laborious focus groups. You delivered on both — the big ideas and the innovative testing.”

– Nick Fallucca
Chief Product and Innovation Officer, Palermo's