News

Pizza Hut gives free pizza in exchange for emoji-emblazoned Pepsi bottles

May 27, 2016

Pizza Hut and Pepsi are partnering to boost sales of both products this summer through a co-promotion that gives customers free pizza in exchange for pizza emoji-emblazoned Pepsi bottles. From June 1 to Aug. 31, Pizza Hut locations will give a carry-out one-topping Personal Pan Pizza to customers who bring in a Pepsi bottle featuring the slice of pizza or full pizza emoji.

The co-promotion is part of the Say It with Pepsi campaign that kicked off this May, according to a press release,that said it is using the "global language" of emojis to attract customers in a "visual and socially sharable program."

"Emojis are much more than icons. They're a universal language that have the ability to connect people around the world, in much the same way that Pizza Hut can bring people together around the dinner table," said Dave Timm, chief marketing officer, Pizza Hut.

Personal pan pizzas are one of Pizza Hut's best-selling products, according to a news release. This campaign, which engages people through use of the digital icons, will likely build on the brand's already popular website and digital channels. In fact, Pizza Hut said in a news release that its site is the world's busiest in the pizza restaurant sector and that nearly half of its orders come in through digital channels, including more than 30 percent via mobile device.