How we made sense of the most anarchic brand in New Zealand.

Background

With its combination of irreverent imagery, unique tone of voice, and penchant for mischief making, Hell Pizza has always been a controversial Kiwi brand. But while anarchy can keep you in the headlines, it doesn’t always translate into consistent sales. Especially when the takeaway market is getting broader, and people are getting more adventurous in their food choices.

We decided to take what Hell did best, attitude and pizza, and funnel it into a proper brand strategy. With a combination of consistent communications and a unique tone of voice, they’d soon be at the top of the pizza pile. With our plan in place, it was time to unleash Hell.

Hell Pizza Roulette

We set out to get tongues wagging with the help of the hottest chili sauce in the world. Pizza Roulette was a promotion whereby if you asked (and people did), Hell Pizza would put a drop of the sauce on one slice without telling you which. Using point of sale, a TVC, and word of mouth, Pizza Roulette burned its way across the internet, increasing sales of pizza and probably also milk.

Rabbit Billboard

 Not content to let a happy occasion go to waste, Hell decided to launch a rabbit pizza just in time for Easter. Using a single billboard made out of real, recycled rabbit skins, news of the pizza spread faster than myxomatosis. Despite being a billboard, it was a huge digital and social success, appearing across platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and even Time Magazine.

TVC Campaign

Along with the previously mentioned Pizza Roulette TVC, we created a suite of TVCs highlighting some of Hell Pizza’s compelling proof points, from vegetarian options to sides. Hell’s irreverent personality allowed us to do it all with a knowing wink.

Holding Australia to Ransom

After going after a national pest, Hell then went after a national icon: Australia’s. To launch their kangaroo pizza, we ran a single billboard in Sydney and produced an online content video stating that we’d taken Australia’s roos hostage and were patiently awaiting that our demands be met. They weren’t, so kangaroo pizza was forced to become another runaway success.

Bastards are People too.

Because somebody has to stand up for evil, we sent a protester down to Aotea Square to invade the live stream of the popular 'Bring Down the King' campaign. 

From the Archives

We've produced many other campaigns for Hell that have spread across the world. Here are a couple of our other favourites.

Results

Hell regained their position as New Zealand’s beloved bad boy brand and clocked up enviable pizza sales while their competitors raced for the bottom. And it didn’t just result in gold for them; our campaigns have been recognized several times at the Effies.