New CiCi's Pizza campaign is penny foolish
CiCi's Pizza is dropping a million pennies in streets near its restaurants nationwide as part of a promotion launched by ad shop Deutsch. Patrons who find the specially marked 1-cent pieces win free meals. The big negative, of course, is that you have to eat at CiCi's. I guess no one could afford, or was willing to pay, "five bucks and change," the price-point CiCi's extolled in its ads in November, so the chain drastically lowered the bar. Seriously, there's something a bit crass and mean-spirited about asking consumers to fish pennies out of the gutter for a few slices of pepperoni pie. What if a fight erupts over the tokens and someone winds up in the hospital, or worse? That's a PR debacle just waiting to happen. Worst of all is the imagery of schlubby looking patrons mounting pedestals to celebrate their penny-ante finds. Is that how CiCi's sees its customers? Maybe someone should take those pennies to the chain's corporate HQ and tactfully tell the marketing poobahs exactly where they can spend them. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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March 31, 2009 in CiCi's, Deutsch, Gianatasio, Restaurants | Permalink |
Comments
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I agree--not so much that it's mean or crass, but, yeah, potentially dangerous. Not to mention, yucky.
Posted by: Sourie | Mar 31, 2009 4:26:54 PM
"Is that how CiCi's sees its customers?"
Yes, and I think they're right.
Posted by: Rebecca Cullers | Mar 31, 2009 8:40:33 PM
I winced a bit at this campaign. Afraid the investments leave people under valuing their pizza or viewing them desparate. Top left red area of this chart:
http://www.avkthinks.com/2009/03/managing-value-exchange.html
Posted by: avk | Apr 1, 2009 8:49:57 AM
Seriously as coin collector trust me that all circulated money is equally dirty. Guess what so are credit cards since most never get cleaned.
This ad is clever while the penny-dropping is not limited to the ground if I were a Cici employee I would leave it on a fence or on top of a meter.
Penny picker does not equal stab you for a free soda.
This ad like the Silver Surfer quarter is not original and kind of illegal but is basically a treasure hunt.
If it was termed Geocaching you'd be gushing but keeping it simple lets everyone have fun.
One problem like the McDonalds Monopoly campaign in 2001 I think more relatives of Cici's employees will turn these coins in then any public customer.
Posted by: Man | Apr 18, 2009 4:55:20 PM
I like CiCi's it may be to much for some...but the food is fresh and if you don't see what you want or it's not made to your liking you can request something you do want. The price is inexpensive for a buffet. It is geared to service families & your average worker. If you want to pay more money for other chains go for it. My mother has always valued a penny (dirty or not) and she raised me the same. I don't enjoy the hunt as she does but I see nothing offensive in the commercial or the idea behind it. Its just a way to get noticed Cici's has always been a good deal..now you can stretch a penny while the promotion lasts. I seriously douby anyone will injure themselves over this.
Posted by: Candice | Apr 23, 2009 2:16:09 PM
Get over it people. It's just advertising. What is this world coming to when you can't advertise and have fun with something. Someone always have to find the negative in everything. Be happy and stop nit picking.
Posted by: Unbelievable | Jul 30, 2009 7:06:23 PM
