Pizza Pizza has revived its timely “Reverse Tariff” campaign in time for July 1 and just as Canada-U.S. trade tensions threaten to flare up once again.
“A Slice of Canada’s Pizza Heritage,” a parody of the “Canadian Heritage Minute” commercials popularized in the early 1990s, is the second instalment of the “Reverse Tariff” campaign, which touches on the cross-border trade war to promote a 25% discount LTO.
The 15-second spot was created by Zulu Alpha Kilo just before U.S. President Donald Trump cut off trade talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney and promised new blanket tariffs on Canada. The federal government said Sunday that talks would resume after it rescinded the digital services tax that had become a sticking point in negotiations.
Amber Winters, senior director of marketing at Pizza Pizza, tells strategy that KPIs driven by social sentiment revealed a deep consumer connection with the “Reverse Tariff” message and led the QSR to return to the topic.
“There was a clear business and sales-lift benefit with the first iteration of ‘Reverse Tariff,'” Winters says. “The established equity we’ve built, and the launch taking place as we head into Canada Day, is expected to drive great results.”
Pizza Pizza is no stranger to topical-response campaigns. February’s original “Reverse Tariff” launch expanded on the larger “Everyone Deserves Pizza” platform, which includes the “Fixed Rate Pizza” and “Bipartisan Wings” campaigns under its banner.
“Having the unique status as a 100% Canadian-based national QSR, we like to be the pizza for the people by playfully advocating for them,” Winters says. “We’re looking forward to the response on the fresh creative approach for our current iteration of ‘Reverse Tariff’ that plays on a nostalgic and familiar form of story-telling.”
Winters says Pizza Pizza made key spending investments in and around Canada Day designed to be scalable coast to coast in an attempt to capitalize on an expected rise in domestic summer travel.
The “A Slice of Canada’s Pizza Heritage” campaign includes promotion across TV, YouTube, social and out of home channels. Paid media is planned by Media Experts, including OLVs and TV, while PR is managed by SpPR.
Sarah Crouch, group account director of Media Experts, says the agency strategically shifted its approach, moving from a primarily static campaign to a video-first strategy.
“This evolution allows us to connect with Canadians on a deeper, more emotional level, especially during this time of national pride,” Crouch says. “As part of this strategic shift, we’re focusing our media spend on supporting major Canadian broadcasters – i.e., CTV, Bell, Rogers and CBC. By aligning ourselves with these platforms, we aim to amplify our message and resonate more profoundly with the diverse communities that shape the rich tapestry of our landscape.”
– with files from Jonathan Russell