Pizza Pizza’s “Everyone Deserves Pizza” platform is being extended for a special seasonal campaign targeted at cannabis users for 4/20.

The QSR recently launched a national campaign ahead of April 20 that highlights its new products for this audience. Created by the brand’s AOR Zulu Alpha Kilo, the “Pizza Pizza Pre-Rolls” campaign is aimed at pizza and cannabis enthusiasts under the age of 35. Its creative features the brand’s new pre-rolls, which are snack-sized baked strombolis shaped like joints, and a Hot Box, which offers an incognito storage solution for consumers’ cannabis and lighter, along with the new pre-rolls.

The campaign’s lead video depicts the preparation of a pre-roll in 15 seconds – which is similar to the process of rolling a joint – with a person sprinkling fresh herbs on top of the snack while smoke is visible in the backdrop.

The brand’s two new products were launched earlier this week and are available for a limited time. The Hot Box will be available only to influencers and a select number of Canadians on April 20.

“Pizza Pizza has a tradition of offering enticing deals on 4/20, a celebrated day in cannabis culture. The campaign aims to leverage this culturally relevant moment to keep Pizza Pizza top of mind,” Zulu Alpha Kilo CCO Brian Murray tells strategy. “This day holds significance on Pizza Pizza’s calendar, being particularly busy, so by once again creating limited-time products, the brand hopes to drive sales.”

This is not the first time Pizza Pizza has targeted cannabis consumers. The brand previously created special offers for the demo, such as four small pizzas for $20 on last year’s 4/20, which Murray says was successful. He adds that Zulu-created special offers tied to culturally relevant moments have achieved good results for the brand.

“Previous specials such as Fixed Rate Pizza, Growflation Pizza and Dip Roller were inspired by key insights, consumer trends and cultural moments, and all of them drove traffic and sales,” Murray says.

The “Fixed Rate Pizza” and “Growflation Pizza” campaigns, for example, were designed to combat rising prices due to inflation. After the “Fixed Rate Pizza” campaign found success in 2023, as Canadians saw interest rates rise, the campaign was so successful that the brand renewed the campaign this year.

The campaign is promoted through OLV, social media, display ads and collaboration with influencers. Pizza Pizza also placed digital billboards at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto, and on Robson Street in Vancouver, which are “both known hangouts for cannabis enthusiasts, particularly during 4/20, and conveniently close to Pizza Pizza restaurants,” Murray says.

Media Experts is handling the paid media, while spPR is managing public relations.