California Pizza Kitchen’s new agency roster arrives for milestone year

Dive Brief:

California Pizza Kitchen has lined up a new roster of agencies following a competitive review, according to a press release.
Iris was named agency of record for brand, creative and social. Blue Engine, Acadia and Push will handle public relations, performance media and special projects and brand extensions, respectively.
The review was handled internally by a team led by the restaurant chain’s newly appointed CMO Dawn Keller, who was most recently CMO at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria and is now charged with “rejuvenating” California Pizza Kitchen as it heads into its 40th year.

Dive Insight:

California Pizza Kitchen’s newly appointed agencies have been charged with “doubling down on creativity, culture and craveability” in their work for the brand, which operates restaurants across nine countries and 27 states, according to press details. The timing of the brand’s new lineup is intended to allow the partners to begin planning for next year’s anniversary.

“As we approach the major milestone of our 40th anniversary next year, we are reigniting the love, nostalgia and preference that so many consumers already have for our brand,” Keller said in the release. “Our partners at Iris and Blue Engine, along with Acadia and Push, share our vision and drive to put CPK in the middle of culture and conversation.”

Though the formal roster of agencies is new, some have had relationships with the brand in the past. Acadia had already been working with the chain, according to Ad Age, and Iris helped the brand respond to a viral TikTok post in which a customer claimed to receive a delivery of only the cheese portion of a mac and cheese delivery order.

In response to that post, CPK offered the original poster a year of free mac and cheese and pizza and posted a video featuring its head chef demonstrating how the chain makes its mac and cheese. He then offered everyone 50% off an order of the dish for a limited time to make up for the customer error.

California Pizza Kitchen filed for bankruptcy in 2020 due to pandemic-related business declines. In October 2022, the company appointed Jeff Warne its new CEO to lead its growth coming out of bankruptcy protection. Warne outlined a strategy that included focusing on loyal customers, using data-driven performance media and loyalty programs to generate sales and partnering with multiple franchisees to drive expansion and open new locations.