Grow From Here

That’s the horned devil’s greeting on the website of Hell Pizza.  With its first Canadian location, in North Vancouver, the chain continues its ghoulish global spread.

Word has spread to pizza lovers everywhere, creating a cult-like following.

Cutting edge in concept, marketing and advertising, with a wildly creative menu, Hell Pizza is one franchise to watch out for.

The eatery began in Wellington, New Zealand in 1996, and quickly expanded to 63 locations in that country and 3 in Australia, before setting up shop in London, Dublin and now New Delhi, India.  The brainchild of Warren Powell, Callum Davies and Stu McMullin, they sold the New Zealand Master Franchise rights to Tasman Foods for a whopping $15 million NZ.  The trio then bought the rights back in 2009.

What are their secrets?

The darkly satirical and wickedly fun underworld theme is used throughout their menu and marketing campaigns.  The pizza boxes contain a coffin-like cut-out “for your remains,” the box reminding customers to “dispose of the evidence.”  The phone number is 1-888-HELL-911.  An after-hours message kindly requests that you “go to Hell.”

Pizzas choices are infinite, and devilishly named.  The ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ items include a lustful meat-laden pie slashed with your choice of sauce, a greedy double-cheese and double-ham option, and a proudly vegetarian creation.   Gore-Met offerings include seafood rich ‘Underworld’, a ‘Sinister’ Mexican variety, and a cream-cheese apricot sauced ‘Grimm.’   Fiery chili-toppers include ‘Forked Tongue’ and ‘Ring of Fire’ for those not faint of heart.

Besides the vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free ‘hell-thy’ options there are many other fresh ideas.  The menu prices include taxes, making bill time surprise free.  They have further added value by offering online orders in addition to delivery.

Some think that the franchise may have gone too far, but it seems to have worked wonders for them.  Besides, they are selling pizza- not plasma- so it’s okay to have a little fun.

Is it time for your franchise concept to incorporate some of new, fiendishly good ideas?  Maybe it’s time to add a little –gasp- playfulness into your franchise.   Perhaps a free-flowing brainstorming session is in order.   And if you decide to order a pizza for the party, I’d recommend Hell Pizza.  If you chose a different pizza palace – beware!  Who knows what in Hades might happen to you…

Business Growth, Franchise, Franchisor Spotlight, Fun creative, franchise concept, Hell Pizza, marketing campaigns, pizza, strategy

We’re doing lot of work right now with systems that automate accountability systems for franchises.    I always like to find interesting quotes on topics that we’re working on, and yesterday I came across the best description of accountability - it’s from Michael Armstrong, former CEO of AT&T.

“The ancient Romans had a tradition: whenever one of their engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place, the engineer assumed accountability for his work in the most profound way possible: he stood under the arch.”

 I love it.  Accountability is such a popular phrase, but how often does one’s life actually depend on being accountable?  And what better definition is there?

Fun, Tips

Thanks to the New York Times and Wendell Jamieson for a fun look at the challenges for newcasters in dealing with language and how to announce the ongoing plunges in the stock market.  I first heard this on CBC (and I have to say, it was much funnier recorded live with a sense of humor on the part of the broadcaster) in the late fall, and just came across it in print format online.

Check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/weekinreview/23jamieson.html

Fun

Here’s my little link to amusement for today – check out Brainz.com’s Completely Unscientific (Yet Accurate) Look at Social Sites – a lighthearted breakdown of what types of people are (or aren’t) using the different social networking sites…

Fun

When you have been working too hard, and spending too long at the computer, go and and check out http://www.joshcole.net/.  It’s the end of the internet and a great invitation to go outside and enjoy the sunshine. 

It’s nice to know that everything has an end – even the internet!

Sunshine at the end of the Internet

Fun