Godfather’s Pizza Queen Creek Grand Opening
- Industry: Pizza, QSR
- Campaign Duration: January of 2026
The Challenge
A Godfather’s Pizza franchisee was opening a new location in Queen Creek, Arizona. Godfather’s Pizza had restaurants in Arizona previously but not since 2009. Our challenge was to develop a restaurant grand opening marketing plan and restaurant launch marketing strategy that tapped into nostalgia and built excitement for the return of Da Good Stuff.
The Approach
Our paid campaign launched prior to the restaurant opening with “Coming Soon” messaging, a key component in our restaurant grand opening strategy. The first set of ads featured images of pizza piled high with the freshest ingredients and the objective of increasing fans on the Godfather’s Pizza – East Valley Facebook page and building early brand awareness.
In addition to the initial paid Meta ads, the restaurant pre-opening marketing campaign included organic Facebook contests executed by the Godfather’s Pizza corporate marketing team. This proved valuable as part of the comprehensive restaurant grand opening promotion strategy.
Beyond paid social, which transitioned to “Now Open” messaging & visuals on opening day, 1123 led the PR strategy for the restaurant grand opening, coordinating outreach with local TV, radio, newspapers, blogs, and influencers.
The Results
The campaign played a pivotal role in a successful restaurant launch in Queen Creek, driving strong awareness, engagement, and opening week traffic.
- Total Facebook Page Likes Attributed to Two-Week Campaign: 823
- Facebook Profile Visits from Campaign: 2,382
- Earned Media Value: $25,250 – $34,000 (TV, Influencers, Bloggers)
- Pizzas Served Opening Week: 3,042
Conclusion
Consumers turn to social media for recipes and restaurant recommendations, so Meta was a perfect anchor for our restaurant grand opening strategy. A highlight on the earned media side was a visit from ABC15 the Wednesday of opening week. Their Chief Meteorologist, Amber Sullins, worked at Godfather’s Pizza in the 90s. She showed up to her live shot rocking her Godfather’s Pizza name tag, amplifying the nostalgia. That moment illustrated the energy and excitement felt throughout the community for the return of Godfather’s Pizza to Arizona.
The Client Said…
Bringing Godfather’s Pizza back to Arizona after nearly two decades meant reconnecting with loyal fans and introducing the brand to a new audience. 1123 built strong awareness and generated meaningful earned media, helping drive a high-energy opening week that exceeded our expectations. They truly felt like a direct extension of our team and have been trusted partners for many years.