Publicis Dallas Gets CiCi’s $26 Million Account

CiCi’s Pizza chain has awarded its marketing account to Publicis Dallas after a review. This review was conducted in June immediately after CiCi’s Pizza chain parted ways with its former agency, Interpublic’s Deutsch of Los Angeles. They have been relating together since 2004. This review that was overseen by Consultancy SRI included several shops. These shops are believed to be Marc USA’s Chicago office; Barkley in Kansas City; Publicis’s Plano, Texas, office; and Richards Group in Dallas.

Nancy Hampton, the chief marketing officer of CiCi’s Pizza stated that Publicis showed a marked understanding of the different aspects of CiCi’s guests. The company expresses confidence in the expertise of the agency and its fresh approach to the delivery of relevant, imaginative and compelling local as well as national advertising and in-restaurant communications. She says further that Publicis is the proper partner for CiCi’s Pizza because of the strength and depth of its media buying and planning.

Publicis Dallas will take charge of CiCi’s $26 million account which includes creative and digital branding, and also media buying and planning. This will be done through the Publicis Groupe. The year 2012 will witness the rolling out of a new campaign.

Publicis has a client list that includes popular retail brands such as Terminix, TruGreen, Continental Mills and Nestle. The company’s experience in supporting other quick service chains like International Dairy Queen and Denny’s provides valuable input in tapping into the unique brand attribute of CiCi’s.

The new agency is hired about one year after Nancy Hampton started working as CMO at CiCi’s. She previously worked in a variety of brand strategy and marketing positions at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Corner Bakery Café and Chili’s.

According to Technomic, CiCi’s made a total of 545 million dollars in sales last year, which is a reduction of 4.9%. The number of its units was also down with about 5%. CiCi’s is the 6th largest pizza chain in the United States with up to 1.8% of the market. It is placed behind Papa Murphy’s, Little Caesar’s, Papa John’s, Domino’s and Pizza Hut. Technomic also reports that the U.S pizza category had an overall increase of 3.2% in 2010.

CiCi’s Pizza is a Texas Based company that started its first restaurant in 1985. It is now rated as one of America’s fastest growing pizza chains. It is well know for its popular pizza, salad, pasta and dessert buffet which has up to twenty pizza varieties and fresh ingredients all for five dollars. This growing company has over six hundred restaurants in thirty-five states. It was recognized by Zagat in 2011 as one of the most family friendly fast food chains. It recently announced plans of adding 500 restaurants to its chain over the next ten years.