California Pizza Kitchen Hits 40 with a Midlife Crisis ‘Rebrand'

At a time when brands are increasingly accused of losing authenticity in pursuit of youth and relevancy, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is celebrating its 40th anniversary by leaning into that exact tension - with a campaign that's deliberately 'delusional.' Partnering with creative agency Iris, CPK executed a bold, intentionally chaotic rebrand to dramatize the marketing panic that can set in when brands hit milestone birthdays.

The strategy? First deny, then embrace their age - with a provocative three-phase rollout The fake rebrand campaign rolled out across social, digital, OOH and in-store activations, culminating in ex-employee and actor Busy Philipps’ intervention today and a return to the brand’s legacy under the platform '40 and fine with it.'

Earlier this week, CPK feigned a mid-life crisis ahead of turning 40, debuting 'new branding' across all digital channels. Inspired by streetwear fashion and culture to stay fresh with today’s consumers, the holistic but fake brand was brought to life through preposterous videos, graphics, and images, leaving everyone wondering what was truly going on.

This dramatically misguided reinvention in an attempt to stay relevant to a younger audience included:

- A high-gloss, high-fashion brand film featuring models posing with pizza in surreal nightclub-like environments.

- A total identity overhaul, including new uniforms, packaging, signage, and a logo redesign.

- A social-first, Hypebeast-inspired aesthetic featuring cryptic taglines like 'THE RECIPE WILL NOT BE FOLLOWED' and 'CPK: FRESH. TO. DEATH.'

- A full overhaul of CPK.COM and even a Shopify merch store launch at CPKDROP.COM to shop the new apparel.

As the campaign reached peak absurdity, CPK’s most famous ex-employee, Busy Philipps, stepped in from the outside earlier this week with a reaction video posted on across social media, questioning the brand's new direction, humorously expressing concern over its radical departure from its family-friendly roots. Her candid reaction video playfully critiques everything from the uniforms to the edgy new logo, ultimately offering her support to help guide CPK back to reality.

Her reaction sets the stage for the a mockumentary-style hero film in which Philipps steps in to 'fix' the brand. Through a series of candid, deadpan interactions with CPK employees, Busy Philipps delivers a sharp, comedic takedown of the rebrands most delusional elements - calling out everything from the impractical uniforms to the over-stylised logo with her trademark humour and sarcasm.

As the campaign unfolds, she reintroduces beloved dishes from CPK’s past, reminding the brand - and its audience - what made it iconic in the first place. Her presence helps shift the narrative from denial to celebration, repositioning CPK as a brand that’s not just turning 40, but proudly owning it.

This campaign humorously taps into an ongoing marketing conversation about authenticity versus chasing younger demographics, vividly illustrating the pitfalls - and potential - of brand reinvention.

“Turning 40 is a significant milestone for any brand – but candidly why should consumers care?,” said Dawn Keller, CMO at California Pizza Kitchen. “We knew this couldn’t be a standard celebration, but could be used to reengage consumers around our brand. This campaign is bold, a little delusional on purpose, and totally us. And Busy brings the perfect dose of heart and humour, helping us embrace who we are: 40, iconic, and still serving up something fresh, certainly with our menu but also with our brand voice.”

“A lot of brands hit a certain milestone and panic - overhauling their identity to chase what’s next, often at the cost of what made them iconic in the first place,” said Menno Kluin, global CCO of Iris. “With CPK, we wanted to take that instinct to its most delusional extreme - diving headfirst into hype culture - then flip it on its head. The result is a bold campaign that lets the brand have fun, reflect, and ultimately celebrate its legacy without feeling stuck in the past.”