Operations

Cicis Pizza's brand refresh spotlights new design, mascot

Plano, Texas-based Cicis Pizza recently underwent a brand overhaul that brings a new design to the restaurants, as well as a new mascot.

Provided

September 30, 2022

Plano, Texas-based Cicis Pizza recently underwent a brand overhaul that brings a new design to the restaurants, as well as a new mascot.

Cicis has 300 units, 10 of which are corporate stores. The company has three units in the pipeline.

Cicis was founded in 1985, becoming the original home of all the pizza, pasta, salad and desserts you can eat. From the start, the brand has been committed to creating fun, family-friendly restaurants where guests can spend quality time together and enjoy all their favorite foods for a low price.

Pizza Marketplace talked to Stephanie Hoppe, CMO of Cicis Pizza, about the brand refresh and what it brings to the table. Hoppe joined the Cicis team in February 2022 to bring fresh, new ideas to elevate the Cicis experience both in stores and on digital platforms.

Stephanie Hoppe, CMO of Cici's Pizza. Provided.

Q: What's the new Endless Pizzabilities campaign?

A: The new Endless Pizzabilities campaign celebrates the unique experience Cicis offers, breaking through the clutter and turning everyday life into a buffet of endless fun. What makes Cicis so special is that we offer a wide variety of high-quality all-you-can-eat options for families, teams and the local communities we serve for a low price. At a time when value is extremely important, we're grateful to be able to provide a dining experience for our guests that is affordable.

Q: What was the impetus behind creating a new campaign?

A:The priority of this new campaign was to tell the brand story rather than advertise discounts or other promotional levers. The focus is on engaging our former, current and future guests in a fun and creative way that highlights the value and the experiences we offer. For many people, Cicis holds a special place in their memory as their favorite childhood restaurant, the place where they went with their little league team, or even the place they once took their own children. The new campaign does a fantastic job of capturing what Cicis already means to so many of us and gives guests — both old and new — more reasons to visit.

Q:How has Endless Pizzabilities helped Cicis succeed in a crowded marketplace?

A:The creativity behind the campaign is groundbreaking for Cicis and very different from anything we've done before. The results we're already seeing reflect its strength — in the first few weeks of the campaign launch, we were already seeing double digit increases. It's capturing people's attention and creating buzz. Cicis is back, but better and current — it's for today's consumer.

Q:You've got a new whimsical spokesperson. Who is it and how was he created?

A:We were searching for an idea that could fully express the endless fun, variety and creativity of the Cicis experience and the whimsical C.C. Pazzini is where we landed. He is an inventor — a nod to Cicis' trailblazing heritage as the originator of the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. His endless creative energy makes him the perfect ambassador for our unique, magically wonderful restaurant experience.

Q:You recently joined Cicis. What was appealing about the company?

A:Cicis' culture and leadership were the most appealing aspects of the company. Cicis has a team-member-first culture led by our president, Jeff Hetsel, who has a strong vision and the ability to elevate his team to succeed.

As previously mentioned, value for consumers is also more important than it has ever been before, and Cicis is highly relevant as it offers amazing value and an incredible product. There is so much potential for the brand and as a marketer, I truly wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

C.C. Pazzini, Cicis Pizza's new mascot. Provided.

Q:How important is marketing to Cicis Pizza?

A:Marketing is extremely important to Cicis. We need to be able to tell our story and remain relevant, and marketing allows that. That said, proper marketing can't be done without the partnership of franchisees and operators to deliver the Cicis experience. It's a whole family, cross-functional effort. The entire company is driving the success we're currently experiencing through this campaign.

Q: What challenges has the marketing team faced during the last couple of years?

A:There's no denying the pandemic created challenges for a buffet business like ours. The industry was challenging before, but the pandemic made things even worse. We had to pivot to adapt to the new restaurant landscape and put systems in place for online ordering. But we've made incredible strides in the last several years and we're putting innovation at the forefront of the brand. Looking ahead, I'd say there are Endless Pizzabilities for Cicis!