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Pizza Hut has announced a major marketing offensive to kick off the 2026 football post-season, partnering with legendary quarterback Tom Brady to launch the "Pizza Before the Hut" campaign.
The initiative combines a high-profile celebrity endorsement with a gamified consumer activation, all designed to support a significant value driver: the return of the Big New Yorker pizza at a $10 price point.
Campaign Mechanics: 'Pizza Before the Hut'
Capitalising on the linguistic connection between the brand name and the standard quarterback cadence, the campaign introduces a unique challenge to the sport.
The Trigger: The first college or professional quarterback to audibly say the word "Pizza" immediately before "Hut" during a live nationally broadcast or cable television game play call.
The Reward: The city represented by that quarterback will unlock a "free post-season Big New Yorker pizza party" hosted by the brand.
To amplify the concept, Pizza Hut has released a multi-channel ad spot featuring Tom Brady—statistically the quarterback who has said "hut" more than any other in history. The creative depicts Brady finding a "second career" as a Pizza Hut delivery driver to continue using his signature call off the field.
Product Focus: The $10 Big New Yorker
The campaign serves as the promotional vehicle for a renewed value strategy. Starting today, 7 January, the 16-inch Big New Yorker is available for $10 at participating locations nationwide.
The product features six extra-large slices cut from a fluffy, New York-style crust seasoned with parmesan and oregano, targeted specifically at viewing parties for the "biggest games of the year."
Melissa Friebe, Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut, explained the creative strategy linking the sport to the brand identity:
"'Hut!' is woven into the fabric of football – it's the sound that sets every play in motion. As we leaned into this unmistakable connection, we wanted to give that iconic call a Pizza Hut spin. When you launch the Big New Yorker for just $10, you've got to go big with everything around it... No one does 'hut' like Tom Brady, and now we're having fun turning it into something only Pizza Hut could do."
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