Dr. Oetker has positioned its Giuseppe Pizzeria brand as the perfect teammate for hockey families with its Practice with a Pro campaign.

The contest rewards youth hockey teams that make an impact and set a positive example in their community through service and teamwork. The winning team is awarded the opportunity to practice with NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla and have a pizza party with him afterward. 

“Pizza is a Canadian favourite that is often enjoyed during hockey games or as a celebratory post-game meal,” says Indresh Kohli, executive head of marketing at Dr. Oetker Canada. “It’s a dependable crowd-pleaser, offering a convenient and affordable meal option loved by both parents and kids.” Because of that beloved connection, he says, hockey has proven to “resonate strongly with Giuseppe’s target audience.” Kohli says Practice with a Pro has been highly effective in engaging younger consumers using social media, digital content, and immersive cultural experiences with ambassadors like Iginla. 

The campaign targeted Alberta in its first year and has now expanded nationally. This year’s winning team will also get a trip to the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) 2025 Memorial Cup tournament in late May. 

“This campaign is about recognizing and rewarding community service and being the perfect teammate,” Kohli explains. “That’s what we think Giuseppe is to hockey.”

The year’s omnichannel campaign includes TSN and RDS as media partners, with spots aired during hockey games. The campaign also has a strong digital component and is leveraging social media and programmatic influencers, along with the TeamSnap app.

Going national has enabled Dr. Oetker to promote Practice with a Pro on Giuseppe packaging, acting as “a very strong driver for awareness” and stronger retail partnerships. Several major grocers have added in-store bumper displays and shelf signage and callouts in flyers and those that do “see a significant lift” in Giuseppe sales.

The national expansion and media strategy are working, he says. “We’re overwhelmed with the levels of submissions we’ve received both in terms of quantity and quality.” Practice With a Pro culminates this year in Rimouski, Quebec at the Memorial Cup in May; the deadline for contest submissions is Feb. 28 and the winner will be announced March 31. 

The success with Practice with a Pro prompted the company to go even further into the category, signing on as an official partner of the CHL. It is working with the league to promote Giuseppe with TV-visible signage and in-arena branding inside CHL arenas across the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Giuseppe Pizzeria is also hosting game nights in more than a dozen cities across the CHL. 

“The CHL partnership allows us to take a program that resonates well with Canadian youth and communities and bring it to a larger audience,” Kohli says.He notes the ability “to bring communities together through hockey is such a natural fit for a brand like Giuseppe. Giuseppe Pizza is about bringing everyone to the table. Hockey goes beyond just sport. The game transcends boundaries, breaking down barriers of language, culture, and background.”  

Agencies supporting this year’s campaign are GroupM for strategy, Omnicom Media Group for media, Evolve Agency Group for consumer journey and experiential.