OVERVIEW

The BOOK IT! program by Pizza Hut aims to foster brand affinity among families by blending digital and traditional learning methods. Focused on classroom integration, the program offers hands-on materials, comprehensive teacher support for goal tracking and curriculum alignment, and clear communication with parents. This initiative underscores Pizza Hut's commitment to educational outreach, ensuring the BOOK IT! program remains a relevant and engaging tool for promoting literacy and rewarding reading achievements, servicing over 14 million students annually.

Our client

Pizza Hut's BOOK IT!® program enriches US primary education with engaging edutainment resources, celebrating children's reading milestones. By integrating rewards like praise, recognition, and pizza, BOOK IT! motivates reading achievements year-round, demonstrating Pizza Hut's dedication to literacy, educational support, and fostering a love for reading among young learners.

THE TASK

Since 2009, we've enhanced the BOOK IT!® program with diverse resources, including teacher aids, digital platforms, and animated content, evolving to meet digital-age demands. Our aim: to enrich literacy efforts and inspire students to exceed their reading goals, reinforcing Pizza Hut's educational commitment.

Two screens from the BOOK IT! program. One highlights the "Reader Roster" with a monthly reading goal chart, and the other promotes the message "Feed your need to read!" with an animated character and the phrase "Welcome Back, Reader!"
A computer screen displays a cartoon character with glasses, pizza, and a guitar, promoting the BOOK IT! program. Below, a phone screen shows the same character with the text "That's a lotta letters," while an origami figure holding a lightsaber stands in front.
A colorful worksheet for kids features word games, sports-themed puzzles, and drawing activities. The playful design encourages children to engage with reading and sports concepts.
 

Our solution

Pizza Hut looks to our team to develop all the BOOK IT! community outreach program’s communication materials each year. BOOK IT! first featured exclusive characters designed by Kidzsmart, then strategic partnerships with esteemed authors such as Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series for several years, plus other popular authors ranging from Kate DiCamillo to Tom Angleberger. This culminated in working with global brands such as Disney/Star Wars in creating classroom-ready materials which encouraged kids to read through storytelling featuring their favourite characters from these global IPs. 

We also created and maintained teacher support systems such as the online Minute Tracker website, helping teachers set and track students’ reading goals online. BOOK IT! materials require a strong yet inobtrusive Pizza Hut brand presence, balanced with featuring their current literary partner. 

Results include a reach of over 14 million students in 38,000 elementary schools across the US and Canada annually with print & digital content promoting literacy goals, and measurable classroom reading targets, resulting in a reported three quarters of participants in the BOOK IT! program reading above their grade level.

 

A reading journal page with a "December" tracker where kids can color in Star Wars-themed characters after every 20 minutes of reading. The opposite page invites children to draw and write about an adventure with characters like Han Foldo and the Fortune Wookiee.
Materials for the Book It! reading program, including a teacher’s guide and a reading motivation packet. The packet contains program essentials like a teacher’s guide, classroom poster, parent letter, and reading award certificates.