Pizza Hut® Pulling Out All Of The Stops To Kick Off NFL Sponsorship At 2018 NFL Draft In Own Backyard

- Pizza company drafts NFL superstar JuJu Smith-Schuster as Red Carpet social media correspondent; wide receiver also serving as ambassador for "Doorbell Dance" campaign

- Brand will celebrate 14th pick of the 3rd round - or "Pi Pick" (3.14) - with pizza party for player in new hometown, free pizza for a year, and additional perks

- All restaurants offering special "NFL Draft Box" featuring two medium pizzas, order of wings and breadsticks starting at $19.99

News provided by

Pizza Hut

Apr 23, 2018, 09:00 ET

PLANO, Texas, April 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pizza Hut, the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL, will descend on the 2018 NFL Draft in its own backyard with an NFL sponsorship activation plan that includes dancing, prizes, fan activities, and of course, plenty of pizza.

Pizza Hut is pulling out all the stops for the 2018 NFL Draft and is enlisting NFL superstar wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as ambassador of its “Doorbell Dance” campaign. Smith-Schuster demonstrates how he celebrates when the doorbell rings meaning Pizza Hut pizza has arrived, and calls on fans to submit their doorbell dance for a chance to win a trip to an NFL regular season game.

In its first activation as an NFL sponsor, Plano-based Pizza Hut will activate in a myriad of ways, including enlisting NFL superstar wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as ambassador of the Pizza Hut "Doorbell Dance" campaign, as well as appearing as a social media correspondent on the Red Carpet, marking the first time a brand has ever had a spokesperson positioned on the highly-anticipated Red Carpet.

As Doorbell Dance ambassador, Smith-Schuster will demonstrate ways he celebrates when the doorbell rings meaning Pizza Hut pizza has arrived, and call on fans to submit their best doorbell dances for a chance to win a trip to an NFL regular season game of their choice. Fans can submit their Doorbell Dance on Instagram April 26-28, tagging @PizzaHut, #PizzaHutHut and #sweepstakes.

In addition to working with Smith-Schuster, Pizza Hut will also recognize the 78th pick in the Draft – the 14th pick in the third round or "Pi Pick" – with free pizza for one year and an invitation to a pizza party in his honor in the new hometown that selects him. The Pi Pick will receive other additional perks from Pizza Hut, including retro brand swag, gift cards for teammates, and more.

"The NFL Draft is a moment of hope and anticipation for players and fans alike, and our mission at Pizza Hut during the Draft is to help fans celebrate the start," said Zipporah Allen, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut, U.S. "From inviting fans to show off their best doorbell dance for a chance to win some great prizes to recognizing the Pi Pick draftee, we want Pizza Hut to help feed the passion and excitement fans have for their teams."

Speaking of feeding, Pizza Hut will offer a special "NFL Draft Box" promotion featuring two medium pizzas, wings and breadsticks starting at $19.99 throughout the 2018 NFL Draft. Onsite at the Draft, Pizza Hut will be hosting an experience right outside the stadium where fans can showcase and record their doorbell dance moves in a 360-degree camera, compete in a delivery shuttle obstacle course, hang with friends in the Pizza Hut lounge and, of course, enjoy a few slices of free Pizza Hut pizza before the main event.

"One of the things we love about Pizza Hut is that as a new partner, they are committed to bringing even more excitement and entertainment to the NFL Draft, one of the marquee events on the NFL calendar," said Renie Anderson, Senior Vice President, NFL Partnerships, Sponsorship and Consumer Products. "Pizza Hut wants to leverage the Draft as a national platform to bring more value to the home watching experience, and we are thrilled to see them activating in new and unique ways."

Pizza Hut recently signed a multi-year agreement with the NFL that allows a vast array of exclusive marketing rights, benefits and designations. The sponsorship will connect the brand with the NFL and its teams, players, events, partners, properties and the many NFL experiences that capture the passion of consumers and football fans from all over the world.

The Pizza Hut partnership with the NFL includes collective use of all 32 team marks and involves the NFL working closely with Pizza Hut to facilitate local, exclusive team partnerships. Pizza Hut has the opportunity to leverage game tickets and unique fan experiences to all NFL games in marketing and promotional campaigns throughout each year.

For additional information and full "Doorbell Dance" Terms & Conditions, visit https://bit.ly/2JjjieV.
Additional charge for extra cheese, stuffed crust, pan and extra toppings on the "NFL Draft Box" may apply. Product availability, combinability of discounts and specials, prices, participation, delivery areas and charges and minimum purchase price required for delivery may vary.

About Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), has more restaurant locations in the world than any other pizza company. Founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kan., Pizza Hut operates over 16,700 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

With easy order options including the Pizza Hut app, mobile site, and Amazon and Google devices, Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has the only loyalty program, Hut Rewards, in the U.S. that offers points for every dollar spent on food online.

Pizza Hut is also the proprietor of The Literacy Project, an initiative designed to enable access, empower teachers and inspire a lifelong love of reading. The program is rooted in the foundation set by the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program, which is the longest-running corporate supported literacy program, impacting more than 14 million students each year. For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com.

CONTACT:
Doug Terfehr
972.338.6992
[email protected]

SOURCE Pizza Hut