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Pizza Hut changing to...



logan89

Active member
Jan 4, 2007
1,429
Brington
... Pasta Hut!!!!!

heard this rumour down the pub earlier today and didn't believe it. But i've just looked in to this and it appears to be true.

Discuss.
 








Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Aug 8, 2005
27,231
Odd decision. Needs modernising, but no need to change the name in my book
 








Spider

New member
Sep 15, 2007
3,614
I saw one and just thought they were changing the branches in swanky areas to pasta hut, with the leisure park crapholes left as pizza ones. Presumably they're still going to do the same stuff (they BETTER not get rid of the lunchtime buffet), but it's still a silly idea. How many people go, "oh, I really fancy going to a pasta restaurant" that also think "oh, I really fancy going to a former budget pizza chain". Not many I'd guess. Pizza Hut has always been a bit rough but nice and cheap, I can't see this changing too much as Pasta Hut.
 










Adam Virgo's Shirt

I took Adam's shirt off!
Oct 7, 2006
1,024
IOW ex Worthing




ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,350
(North) Portslade
I believe its a trial on something like 20 out of the 700 national branches. And it won't last - for one thing its not in line with their American branches which produce much of the publicity. But hey ho, I'm sure someone got paid 75k to come up with it.
 


Couldn't Be Hyypia

We've come a long long way together
NSC Patron
Nov 12, 2006
16,730
Near Dorchester, Dorset
It's a publicity stunt - and it seems to have worked. First tried in the US on April 1st (hint, hint) now being used at a few outlets for up to a year to draw attention to the brand. It's not a rebranding, it's not a permanent thing. It's just a half baked idea that has rapidly been shelved.

Lots of the marketing press have covered this at length - and Pizza Hut are pulling the supporting ads too.

From "Marketing" last week:

Pizza Hut name switch lambasted as 'puerile'

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 07-Oct-08, 08:45

LONDON - Pizza Hut's plan to temporarily change the name of some of its restaurants to Pasta Hut has been roundly condemned by branding experts.

The switch, announced by Pizza Hut this week, is intended to flag up its revamped pasta menu, supported by an ad campaign created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. It is likely, however, that the Pizza Hut name will be reinstated at the 30 outlets after the year-long drive.
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Jim Prior, managing director of branding agency The Partners, described the tactic as 'boring'. 'It is a bit of a puerile idea; the sort of thing the chair-man's wife comes up with at Sunday lunch,' he said. 'It is na•ve, too; it is hardly as though the change is from something unexciting to something that is more exciting.'

Vanessa Cohen, partner at branding consultancy Prophet, said the change would garner press coverage, but added: 'I find it hard to believe it won't cause confusion and dilute the strength of the brand.'

Pizza Hut's marketing director, Claudia Nicholls-Magielsen, said the change was designed to alter people's perceptions of the brand, and denied it was an attempt to target health-conscious consumers.
 


Cian

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2003
14,262
Dublin, Ireland
Utter publicity stunt. They've just spent a few million rebranding acquired stores here to 'PHQ' (pizza hut quick I guess) and doing a big campaign so its not been brought it here.
 




Scotty Mac

New member
Jul 13, 2003
24,405
christian o'connell grilled the head of pizza hut about the decision on one of his breakfast shows on virgin last week - it was CLASSIC radio, with just a solid 15 minutes of piss taking, well worth a listen if anyone podcasts his shows
 


Barrel of Fun

Abort, retry, fail


Couldn't Be Hyypia

We've come a long long way together
NSC Patron
Nov 12, 2006
16,730
Near Dorchester, Dorset


The Spanish

Well-known member
Aug 12, 2008
6,478
P
I am no marketing expert, but I would say its the word 'Hut' that is mainly responsible for making them sound the depressing shitholes they are.
 








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