After being selected as creative agency of record for Papa Murphy’s in April, Mekanism has debuted its first campaign for the take-and-bake pizza chain.
The “Bake it Up a Notch” campaign launches today, introducing new brand spokespeople, Matt and Molly.
“Bake it Up a Notch” targets millenials with a series of spots showing Matt and Molly waiting in anticipation of a Papa Murphy’s pizza warming in the oven. Each spot attempts to weave humor into the situation, such as Molly’s pizza night-themed attire in “Pizza Onesie.”
The approach stems from insights about millenial cooking habits. While Mekanism found that millenials spend 62 percent less time preparing meals than Gen X, 63 percent said they enjoy the idea of cooking, according to a Papa Murphy’s audience study. It takes quite a stretch to consider take-and-bake pizza as “cooking,” but then perhaps that speaks to the brand’s appeal. Baby steps.
“Papa Murphy’s is the perfect solution for the busy young consumer, who seeks an elevated pizza experience they just can’t get with delivery pizza,” Papa Murphy’s CMO Laura Szeliga said in a statement. “We want everyone to know they can order the exact pizza they want, trust it was made from scratch that day, and take credit for making something fresh when they pull it out of their own oven. These new spots share these benefits in a fun, relatable way.”
“The idea was sparked by the simple truth that folks love to gather around a warm oven and discuss pizza gastronomy, much like a campfire. Matt and Molly are two characters who love pizza almost as much as they love each other. They’re in their transitional period, just bought their own home, love being in their kitchen and making food,” Mekanism CCO Tommy Means added. “We specifically chose improv actors and a director with experience directing improv actors to capture their conversations, as their beloved pizza heats up in the oven.”
In total, the “Bake it Up a Notch” will contain six broadcast spots, ten radio ads, and almost 100 pieces of social content.
Credits:
Creative Agency: Mekanism
Founder/Chief Creative Officer: Tommy Means
Creative Director: Hart Rusen
Associate Creative Director: Dan Peterson
Senior. Copywriter: Sarah Anderson
Senior Art Director: Shiva Majidi
Copywriter: Caroline Johnson
Art Director: Alex Brubacher
President/CEO: Jason Harris
COO: Michael Zlatoper
Managing Director, Seattle: Lisa Zakroff
Senior Brand Manager: Myco Nguyen
Brand Coordinator: Ana Sabarots
Project Manager: Maggie Boler
Head of Planning, West: Jeremy Daly
Communications Strategy Director: John-James Richardson
Senior Brand Strategist: Anna Rainwater
Head of Production: Kati Haberstock
TV Producer: Kat O’Meara
Radio Producer: Kara Bello
Sr. Talent Manager: Kourtney Luster
Social Media Agency: Epic Signal
Founder/EVP: Brendan Gahan
Managing Director: Hallie Harris
Director of Social Strategy: Josh Druding
Copywriter: Amy Silvestri
Art Director: Andreas Aristides
Sr. Social Content Producer: Joey Segrove
Social Strategist: Christopher Metoyer
Social Strategist: Charles Weichselbaum
Community Manager: Ruben Ruiz
Production Company: Tool Of North America
Director: Sean Ehringer
Managing Director: Nancy Hacohen
EP: Preston Garrett
Line Producer: Gabe Reiter
Editorial: Nomad
Editor: Jared Coller
VFX/Finishing: Nomad
Color: Apache
Mix/Record: Lime Studios
Music: Mophonics
Papa Murphy’s Brand Team
CEO: Weldon Spangler
CMO: Laura Szeliga
VP of Marketing and Creative Services: Diana Douglas
Marketing Director: Jihae Hefeneider
Associate Marketing Manager: JR Foster