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.
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.
