Pizza Hut has named Leo Burnett Toronto as its AOR in Canada.
The win came after a pitch process that involved a number of major Canadian agencies. Previous AOR, Ogilvy, reached out to strategy to say it decided not to defend the account and declined to pitch.
The remit includes all creative duties within the Pizza Hut portfolio. Media buying continues to be handled by Wavemaker, which was named media agency for Yum! Brands Canada in 2018.
Leo Burnett will be making hires to support the business, as well as other recent wins, according to Scott Lyons, group account director on Pizza Hut. Other recent new business at the agency includes The Shoe Company, and Daily Bread Food Bank.
Lyons adds that the agency is “hitting the ground running” on its new account, delivering work for promotional offerings, though bigger-picture campaigns are on the horizon.
“There’s a real appetite to do ground-breaking work which we’re excited to help deliver,” says Ben Tarr, president of Leo Burnett.
“There was a lot of positive energy and excitement for the chance to help shape a brand like Pizza Hut,” says Steve Persico, co-CCO, Leo Burnett Canada. “As we chatted with people, we realized how much brand love exists but also how much opportunity there is to play a bigger role in people’s lives – beyond delicious food.
