California Pizza Kitchen Names Acadia as Media Agency of Record

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the creator of California-style pizza, has named Acadia its media agency of record. The move represents a shift in media strategy for the company, which has grown steadily post pandemic restructuring, but faces heightened competition from larger category players with exponentially higher marketing budgets. Instead of trying to out-spend them for new customers, CPK aims to outflank them with hyper-local, hyper-tailored advertising.

"We’re emphasising ways to motivate known customers to consider CPK more often” said Scott Hargrove, CMO of CPK. “We can compete more effectively with precise, measurable, local media that inspires guests to come and try us one more time. Acadia has the prowess in analytics, digital media, and e-commerce to get the granular, accountable results we need.”  

Key to this strategy will be focussing on utilising sophisticated first party data, curating precise radius targeting strategies, and measuring to a very specific set of KPIs associated with supporting both on and off-premise.  

Shifting media strategy is the latest in a series of innovations elevating CPK. The recently streamlined its menu, upgraded its online ordering experience, launched new expanded delivery services, and redoubled its focus on its loyalty program, CPK Rewards. The company also just announced the launch of its new domestic re-franchising program.

For Acadia, the assignment represents a validation of its founding premise – to provide full-scale digital expertise for the middle market looking for an agency to bring big-market sophistication in media, analytics combined with core values, speed, and transparency. Acadia was founded by the former CEO of 360i, Jared Belsky and his co-founder Sean Belnick, founder of Bizchair.com.  

“CPK faces a classic middle-market challenge, growing in a large crowded market with much larger competitors,” said Jared. 

He noted that, CPK has a little over 180 locations compared to others who might have 1,000’s of locations. However, what matters to consumers is quality and relevancy and there, CPK can win.  

“At Acadia, we’re built for helping challenger brands. We see a huge opportunity to outflank giant competitors by applying a data-centric approach to local media. And we’re proud to work with a company that cares so deeply about its product, guests, and partners.”