Pizza Pilgrims
Launching the latest restaurant for a well loved national brand, as they brought a taste of Napoli to Bristol.
Pizza Pilgrims
Pizza Pilgrims already has national reach and an existing fanbase, so when they came to us to help with the Bristol launch, the challenge wasn't awareness alone. They were looking for a local partner to ensure they hit all of the right people and publications, as well as putting an authentic Bristol spin on their launch.
We put together a launch strategy that could work on multiple fronts at once: launch events, influencer outreach and local press and partnerships. The team also wanted to create a unique launch video, working with local creator Bos Finesse and owner James, to showcase how Pizza Pilgrims add to the Bristol pizza scene, not take away from it.
What they needed
What we did
We split the launch into six smaller campaigns, each designed to hit a different audience and a different stage of the customer journey.
🍕 Pizza in the post
Ahead of the doors opening, we sent 40 Pizza in the Post kit to a handpicked list of local food and lifestyle creators, letting them experience Pizza Pilgrims' signature Napoli pizza at home before anyone else in Bristol could get a table.
🍕The 1000 slice giveaway
On the week of the opening Pizza Pilgrims hosted a 1000 slice giveaway on Corn Street, their new home, to the general public giving 1000 new customers a chance to understand who Pizza Pilgrims are.
🍕The launch party
Ahead of their opening to the public, we hosted a 200-person Italidisco inspired launch party with pizza and drinks flowing. Inviting a curated list of local creators, businesses and tastemakers to move around, soak up the music from a local DJ, try their bar offerings and, obviously, a lot of slices going around.
🍕Post-launch review campaign
Once the doors were open, we invited local creators in to try the food for themselves and share their honest, unfiltered reviews with their followers - building the kind of credible, word-of-mouth trust that paid activity alone can't buy.
🍕Press
We reached out to local press outlets to get the opening covered, making sure Pizza Pilgrims' arrival in Bristol landed with the local media.
🍕Business outreach
We contacted local businesses within a five-mile radius of the new site and arranged free pizza deliveries to their offices, introducing Pizza Pilgrims directly to Bristol's working crowd. Alongside this, we hosted networking events showcasing the restaurant's private booking room downstairs, opening the door to future corporate bookings and repeat business.
Liliya Georgieva
We loved working with the team on our Bristol opening. They really understood the brand and what makes a Pizza Pilgrims special, while also bringing lots of their own ideas to the table. From building excitement ahead of the opening to getting people talking about us locally, they were a great support throughout the whole process. The launch was a brilliant success and it was great to see the buzz around Bristol when we finally opened the doors. They were super easy to work with, proactive and always happy to get stuck in - exactly what you want when you’re launching a new pizzeria!
PR & Brand Manager, Pizza Pilgrims
This is a launch campaign we won't be able to move on from in a hurry! Off the back of the campaign, 74 grid posts went out to a potential reach of 3.6million people with an average engagement rate of 4.3%, the press release was picked up by 12 outlets, multiple local businesses attended private events at the restaurant and Pizza Pilgrims was being talked about everywhere!
Working with the Pizza Pilgrims team was an incredible experience, and a masterclass in how big national brands should launch in Bristol. Needless to say, we can’t wait to continue to work with them on more projects!