Pizza Hut Re-Teams with 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (Video)
11:17 AM PDT 7/7/2014 by Graeme McMillan
Food chain announces new cross-promotional efforts with the Michael Bay-produced revival, including social media, augmented reality and "hidden menu" components.
It’s not just the Turtles themselves that are making a comeback as part of Jonathan Liebesman’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles big-screen reboot; a moment of 1990s cross-promotional genius is being revived as well with the Turtles re-teaming with Pizza Hut for a new ad campaign.
The new deal, which launches Monday, will see the return of the chain’s Cheesy Bites Pizza, social media contests themed around the Heroes in a Half Shell and a television advertisement featuring the new movie incarnations of the characters.
“There’s no denying the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ love of pizza, which is one of the many reasons it fits having our brand fuel their hunger in the upcoming film,” said Pizza Hut’s Chief Marketing Officer, Carrie Walsh in a statement. “Coupling the popularity of the Ninja Turtles to our pizza innovation, we’re thrilled to be bringing back a fan favorite in Cheesy Bites Pizza that combines the great pizza taste with a little ‘food fun’ for fans to enjoy.”
A large part of the new cross-promotion will be digital, including an online-only “hidden menu” featuring the “favorite pizzas” of each of the Turtles, as well as special videos and exclusive footage from the movie only available via augmented reality links on the pizza packaging. Pizza Hut will also be launching a #TBTMNT (Throwback Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) promotion on Twitter and Instagram, where fans can post pictures of themselves with classic TMNT merchandise to win gift cards and other prizes.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be released in theaters August 8.