Near the beginning of the pandemic, Pizzaville saw two prevailing consumer trends: a significant increase in online ordering and contactless delivery, and customers ordering larger quantities of food so they could have leftovers for the week ahead at home, trends that dipped into the summer months.

But as a second wave hits Ontario and the provincial government re-implementing restrictions on indoor dining at restaurants in some areas, Pizzaville is starting to see a rise in online ordering and contactless delivery once again. And with the winter months approaching, Pizzaville anticipates that larger orders will also return as a consumer trend, and that families will be spending a lot of time in their homes together.

To couple its product with a fun experience for the family, Pizzaville and children’s entertainment company Spin Master have partnered to create a special that includes two large pizzas, a selection of sides and Spin Master’s family guessing game Hedbanz. The promotion is highlighted in a 30-second animated spot showing a family stuck inside on a rainy day – a reference to its “Rainy Day” radio ads from the 90s – with the special providing a cure for their boredom.

At the onset of the pandemic, Pizzaville wanted to create added value for its customers, says Stephanie Contardi, marketing and promotional coordinator at the brand. Puzzles were trending at the time, but Spin Master approached the brand in May with a few different game options to Pizzaville. Headbanz got the best response from Pizzaville’s own staff and their families.

“We knew that, with fall coming, there could be potentially another lockdown, some more restrictions in place, and people would be staying home more, again,” Contardi says, adding that it was also looking to break up some of the “mundane routines” many people fell into during the first lockdown.

Pizzaville hasn’t done a partnership like this in the past, though, in the early 2000s, it did give out a deck of Pizzaville cards, which could contain an entry into a contest to win a trip. But Contardi says its product creates experiences on its own in the form of the typical family “pizza night.”

“We like to create experiences for our customers,” Contardi says. “This is a perfect way to create a feel good experience, and you’ll have a good association with the Pizzaville brand and the Hedbanz game.”

For Spin Master, it’s trying to expand its partnerships to capitalize on new special occasions where it typically hasn’t had a presence, like at-home eating. “What better opportunity to take advantage of a family coming together, having a pizza and playing a game?'” says Tor Sirset, Spin Master’s VP of omnichannel marketing and partnerships.

Pizzaville developed the spot and handled the media buy in-house. It will appear regionally in the GTA, supported by paid digital and social.