Article

Hungry Howie’s on ‘re-igniting’ brand image

Change is constant. That's true in the pizza business as it is anywhere. Hungry Howie's Pizza saw the need to change to remain competitive and did so by re-igniting their brand.

September 3, 2015 by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Hungry Howie’s Pizza had enjoyed a loyal following in the Midwest since it opened in 1973, but the brand realized a few years ago that some of the more dominant players in the pizza world were one step ahead. Hungry Howie’s CEO Steve Jackson went back to the drawing board to change that. His goal was to elevate the brand by improving all facets of the buisness from the customer experience to the menu.

"Think about the changes in the pizza world from 1973 when we opened our first store until now," Jackson said. "From the pizza ovens to LED lighting, everything has changed.When the recession hit in 2008 and 2009, we took a big hit in Michigan. We used that time to ask ourselves what we can do to be more effective. We decided it was time to re-ignite our brand."

A Hungry Howie's store location prior to being remodeled.

Re-igniting the brand with product innovation, community engagement

Hungry Howie’s put all of its efforts into the change; it hired a new advertising agency and tasked it with developing a new branding strategy. Changes included a new store design featuring remodeled lobbies, upgraded signage and a refreshed logo.

Product innovation was another piece of the pie.

"We developed the flavored crust concept," Jackson said. "Over the years, we’ve built on that concept by offering a featured flavored crust each quarter of the year. We also developed new deep-dish pizzas, salads, specialty pizza, a gluten-free pizza and pizza packages for $5, $10, $15 or $20. We always give good value at our price points."

Bonding with the community was an additional initiative. Approximately six years ago, Hungry Howie’s decided to focus on one charity, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which provides free mammograms to women in all 50 states.

"One of the things we kept in mind in re-igniting our brand was the world in which we live," Jackson said. "How can we make it better? We receive hundreds of donation request throughout the year. Although we would love to participate in each and every one of them, it just isn't possible. Everyone is affected by breast cancer, and we decided we could make an impact."

Hungry Howie’s came up with its Love Hope & Pizza campaign to benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The chain makes a donation to the Foundation for every pizza sold. Additionally, it’s all-pink at all Hungry Howie’s locations during October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

"Everything is pink at our stores," Jackson said. "From the pizza boxes to signage, we go all out. We’ve raised over $1.5 million for the National Breast Cancer Foundation over the last six years."

The results

The Hungry Howie’s brand now has more than 600 locations, with 21 consecutive quarters of increased store sales, which Jackson attributes to the rebranding efforts.

"It will be 22 straight quarters in September," he said. "We did exactly the right thing in re-igniting our brand."

Franchisee Bob Leger agreed.

"I’ve had the honor of being a Hungry Howie’s franchisee for over 30 years, and the current revitalization of our brand is very exciting," said Leger, who operates 58 stores in three states. "Hungry Howie’s is experiencing a transformation. I see the results of that every day, whether it’s in our sales or when our team members walk into a remodeled location for the first time. The revitalization of Hungry Howie’s has set the bar for future growth, and I look forward to building with the brand."

About Travis Wagoner

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Travis Wagoner spent nearly 18 years in education as an alumni relations and communications director, coordinating numerous annual events and writing, editing and producing a quarterly, 72-plus-page magazine. Travis also was a ghostwriter for an insurance firm, writing about the Affordable Care Act. He holds a BA degree in communications/public relations from Xavier University.