Pizzazz On the Circle

20680 John Carroll Boulevard

University Heights, Ohio 44118

Media Sales and Marketing Plan created by:

Eli Melas

 Cover Letter
Dear David Spiccia, operator of Pizzazz On the Circle,

My name is Eli Melas and I am currently a senior at John Carroll University in University
Heights, Ohio. I am currently studying Integrated Marketing in Communications and plan on
graduating this upcoming spring. From studying my major, I have learned valuable life skills
such as writing, researching, thinking creatively, and communicating ideas effectively to others,
as well as looking in depth and focusing on all types of marketing. I have a very laid back, but
professional personality that allows me to create meaningful relationships with the people I work
with. I consider myself a diligent, motivated, and reliable worker and because of this, I would
love to work with Pizzazz On the Circle and help market your business. By working together, I
believe we can increase revenue for your company and also establish a more publicly known
brand.

Integrated Marketing in Communications is a major that primarily focuses on marketing

techniques in various industries and also teaches how to effectively communicate the messages
that you want consumers to hear and see. This semester, I have taken classes such as Branding
and Integrated Marketing Campaigns. From taking the Branding class, I have learned how to
successfully develop and communicate brand messages in order to create a better image of the
product or service into the customers mind. In the Integrated Marketing Campaigns class, our
class has dealt with a real-life client and has worked together in order to create and implement a
marketing campaign that will be shown and seen throughout Cuyahoga County in the near
future. I have been apart of the Research team for this campaign and learning the process of
creating and implementing a real-life campaign has been irreplaceable in my professional
development.

I also have prior work experience at a marketing firm in Buffalo, New York, where I was
the sole Marketing Analyst Intern for the firm. From this experience, I was quickly immersed
into dealing with various clients and tasks, which helped speed up my development and has
helped me in becoming more adaptable to ever-changing work environments. I have also
learned how social media can be used to a companies benefit. In 2016, the value and benefits
that come from utilizing social media are extremely important. This is because most people
nowadays, especially my generation, are vastly integrated into the social media world and are
constantly sharing and posting things of interest. From my research, I have noticed that Pizzazz
On the Circle utilizes Facebook as a social media component. Yet, if we work together I truly
believe we can do more to communicate the Pizzazz brand. I plan on developing the social
media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), while also creating advertisements for TV,
Radio, Billboards, and more.

I would like to thank you for taking your time out of your schedule and allowing me to
talk about my skills, experiences, and ways that I can contribute to Pizzazz On the Circle. I hope
that we can work together to implement these marketing materials and reach more potential
customers. I look forward to hearing from you and hope I can be of assistance. Thank you, and
have a nice day.

Eli Melas
 CUSTOMER NEEDS ANALYSIS

1. John and Marie Spiccia first established Pizzazz on May 15, 1975, and their main vision

was to succeed and have Pizzazz become the place to be. This success was envisioned to

happen through Johns experience and business expertise and Maries delicious recipes

thatll keep customers coming back. With that vision in mind, they have done just that in

establishing a well-respected restaurant in the eyes of many customers. In 1992, Dave

Spiccia expanded on the Pizzazz restaurant and opened a second location in University

Heights, right outside of John Carroll University. According to the restaurants website,

Pizzazz was has been featured in The News Herald on several occasions, one of them

saying, The folks at Pizzazz provide good hearty food in a comfortable, no-nonsense

atmosphere a great price. Now thats pizzazz. On another occasion, The News-Herald

praised Pizzazz by saying, Restaurant near JCU campus caters to budget-conscious

students in style. These newspaper reviews encompass exactly what Pizzazz is all

about, which is having a comfortable environment for everybody, while also providing

quality and affordable food. On the Pizzazz website, they use the slogan Its all about

the food, in order to communicate their main purpose and goal. Throughout the years,

Pizzazz has continued to establish a very modern and contemporary-like environment

that makes everybody feel comfortable being in, whether that is satisfying families,

college students, or even elderly individuals, Pizzazz is for everybody because Its all

about the food. That is why I believe this slogan is perfect for Pizzazz. Additionally,

Pizzazz prides itself on being family grown and operated. As of today, a portion of the

Pizzazz workers include a third generation of Spiccias that continue to work together to
 produce satisfaction and smiles to their customers, which is really something special and

is something that sets them apart from their competition in the area.

2. There are several important things that people should know about Pizzazz but one of the

most important ones is the overall mission and slogan that I mentioned above. Its all

about the food is a slogan that was repeated and emphasized on the restaurants website

and that is something that is very important. Pizzazz has exceptional service and gives

the customer valuable dining experiences, yet, they also understand that the most

important aspect of the experience will come down to the quality of the food. The quality

of the food, the freshness of ingredients, and the affordable-ness that Pizzazz offers are

all components that cannot be matched or duplicated by any other Pizza place in the

University Heights area. Another major component that people should know about

Pizzazz is that is located right next to John Carroll University, a school with a population

of over 3,500 students. By being located right near JCU, this opens up so many

possibilities for target audience growth. The target audience for Pizzazz could generally

include anyone that lives in the University Heights area that is looking for quality pizza,

Italian food, or an overall nice dining experience. Yet, it does not stop there. The target

audience also includes the large number of college students, families, John Carroll

faculty, and more. When looking at families as a target audience, this includes students

families who are visiting, traveling college sports teams and their families (student

athletes), and families living in the University Heights area because of the atmosphere it

creates.

3. People come to Pizzazz because of the quality of food, the atmosphere, affordability, and

the convenient location. Pizzazz prides itself on dealing with the freshest of ingredients
 and the overall quality of their pizzas and entrees. No matter the age range, anybody can

walk into Pizzazz and feel comfortable in their environment and that is something that is

of emphasis. Being located right next to John Carroll University, this is the most

convenient location that they could have asked for because it is in walking distance of the

University and is located right at the main entrance, so people who arent at the

University on a daily basis have to drive right by Pizzazz in order to arrive. Additionally,

by being that close to campus, they should want to attract and market to the college

student demographic. Another positive with the Pizzazz brand is that they offer

affordable, delicious food; so, even college students who are on a strict budget can still

afford to go to Pizzazz.

4. Pizzazz is distinctive among its competition because of the combination of several

components. This combination of these components is what differentiates Pizzazz and is

something that their competitors cannot duplicate. Pizzazz offers great customer service,

quality and affordable food, and a good dining experience. The competitors will be

described in more detail later on, but what is worth noting is that a competitor may offer

one or two of these components, but they cannot offer all of them and that is what makes

Pizzazz special. The family-operated and modern environment that Pizzazz offers is

unmatchable. Moreover, most of the competitors do not offer as appealing of a dining

experience (if at all) when compared to Pizzazz. More people are likely to go to Pizzazz

and sit down for a meal, than their primary competitors: Rascal House, Papa Johns, and

Georgios.

5. Competition Marketing tactics

a. Papa Johns
 i. They are really focused on TV and Radio commercials, as they are a well-

known brand throughout the country. Papa Johns is even the Official

Pizza Sponsor for the NFL; therefore, there is no way of avoiding

television or radio advertisements during the football season when there

are games. Another marketing technique that they are utilizing is a well-

known sponsor partnership with former Super Bowl winning Quarterback,

Peyton Manning. During the NFL season, Papa Johns is extremely

successful because of this established brand identity. Also, even during

the months without football games, they still continue to create ads on

their new recipes, new deals, or to get people excited about the upcoming

season.

b. Rascal House is another competitor of Pizzazz. Yet, the marketing techniques

that I looked at for this brand were involved in social media. Rascal House is a

regional pizza place that does not market to the extents of Papa Johns, but instead

focuses more on engagement with consumers and deals. While looking through

their Facebook page, there were multiple posts that were more focused on giving

people deals and coupons to increase the amount of pizzas ordered, but just at a

discounted rate. This involved using promo codes or engaging through social

media in order to get the discounted rate. This is a major area that I believe

Pizzazz can improve and learn from.

6. Pizzazz is unique in many different ways when compared to their competitors. They are

unique based off of the feel and look of the restaurant as you enter. It is a low-lit and

intimate environment that encourages you to stay for an extra drink, talk with the people
 you came with, and have a great dinner. Another unique positioning element that

separates Pizzazz from their competitors is their location. Being so close to John

Carrolls campus is a huge benefit to them because of the drive-by exposure for new

customers to see and want to try, as well as the obvious fact that it is in walking distance

for college students who live on campus and may not have a car to drive to another

restaurant. Or on the other hand, the college student doesnt want to spend on the extra

delivery fee when they can just walk over to Pizzazz and have better quality food.

Pizzazz has a dining room, a bar, and a separate private party room in the basement that

allows them to offer more to the customers and host more events. Lastly, another unique

positioning element would include their outdoor patio for when the weather is

accommodating. The overall atmosphere that is created inside AND outside of the

Pizzazz restaurant is huge benefit to their appeal when people consider eating there.

7. The current image of the Pizzazz brand is a restaurant that offers a modern look, warm

environment, and delicious recipes. One main attraction on the Pizzazz menu includes

the variety of salads that they offer and the main reason why they are so sought out after

by customers is because of the freshness of the ingredients they use. Pizzazz guarantees

the freshness and quality of ingredients that they use to make their food and that is one of

the staples of the Pizzazz brand.

8. The main competitors for Pizzazz would include Papa Johns, Rascal House, and

Georgios Pizza. These are mainly all pizza places in the University Heights area.

Another main competitor, in general, could be Little Italy because Pizzazz offers entrees

and Italian dishes other than pizza. Yet, this would be in the case of people trying to get

a quality Italian meal and in this case, the prices would increase if they were to go to
 Little Italy. Therefore, I decided to focus on the first three competitors noted above

because Little Italy seems like more of a secondary tier competitor.

9. Customers go to Rascal House mainly for the price and taste of the pizza. Their pizza is

seen as cheaper and a little greasier. Customers go to Papa Johns mainly because of

brand awareness and quick delivery. Finally, customers go to Georgios for the cheap

and readily available pizza. Customers can walk into Georgios without an order and pay

only $5 for a pizza.

10. The number one reason for people to buy Pizzazz instead of their competitors is because

of the overall quality of service, food, and dining experience. Rascal House may be a

little cheaper but the overall quality of their food does not meet the bar that Pizzazz sets.

When looking at Papa Johns brand, they may be more marketable and their brand may

resonate with consumers more but the truth is, not everyone enjoys their type of pizza

style. Also, they do not offer any sort of dining experience, which is a disadvantage in

some peoples minds. Georgios offers quick, readily available, and cheap pizza for

people who dont want to place an order. Yet, even though it is cheaper, this is where the

quality of the food takes a hit and can be seen as a disadvantage. I looked at Google

Reviews in order to make these brand assumptions and in those reviews is exactly where

Pizzazz flourishes. This is because they offer quality in all parts of the restaurant

business because they dont allow their affordable prices to affect their quality of food or

service.

11. The biggest marketing problem that Pizzazz is facing right now is that they are not

utilizing social media to the best of their abilities. Being located right next to a college

campus is a huge advantage for them but they are missing one of the main
 communication elements that college students use, which is social media. The restaurant

has a Facebook page that they update regularly. Yet, that is about the extent to their

social media usage. They also have a Pizzazz Instagram account but it has not been

updated since May of 2014. Pizzazz has weekly specialty deals, such as $0.50 chicken

wings at the bar on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, and $5 burgers on Wednesdays. With

deals of that sort, they could be posting pictures of their delectable food and tweeting

posts that will engage individuals into coming into the restaurant more often. Also, in the

case of certain special events (watch parties, etc.), using social media is such an easy way

to let people know that Jakes Speakeasy is open and a way to encourage them to bring

their friends. By doing this, I believe revenue could be increased.

12. The demographics for Pizzazz customers can be broad at times, ranging from families

that live in University Heights to college students, ages 18-26, and also to people who

want a quality, Italian dining experience for a reasonable price.

13. The average potential customer income for Pizzazz would probably fall in the low to

medium income range. Yet, since this is a restaurant that values itself on affordable

prices, there isnt that distinctive customer line. Families love eating at Pizzazz, as well

as budget-conscience college students.

14. For Radio, TV stations, programs, etc., I would buy around three for each service so that

the message could be widely received among the Cleveland area and not only University

Heights.

a. Radio Stations

i. 96.5 Kiss-FM- Clevelands #1 Hit music station

ii. Z 107.9 FM- Clevelands #1 Hip-Hop and R&B station

 iii. 106.5 The Lake Clevelands Play Anything station

b. Television Stations

i. Channel 3 WKYC, Channel 3, NBC

ii. Channel 5 WEWS, Cleveland News Channel 5, ABC

iii. Channel 8 WJW Fox 8

c. Newspapers

i. The Plain Dealer

ii. The News-Herald

d. Internet

i. Advertise with Cleveland.com

ii. Advertise with local news channels websites

iii. Social media

15. Currently, Pizzazz has no marketing components in the following: outdoor, TV, Internet,

newspapers, magazines, or telemarketing. They have their own website, a Facebook

page, and a newsletter service that you can sign up on through the website.

PART THREE: CREATE A MARKETING PLAN

Increase Sales by:

1. Update website to correct upon inconsistencies and develop an in-depth social media

strategy, utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

2. Hand out stickers to every customer for one to two weeks per promotion. Stickers that

can be used for college students and their laptops. Or, for people that really support the

brand, they can use them as bumper stickers.

 3. Implement advertisements for the following channels: Radio, TV, Billboard, Internet, and

Newspaper.

Three selling points:

1. Quality and freshness of food

2. Affordable, not even including the specialty deals that are offered

3. Good for any occasion date, family dinner, private parties, bar-scene

I am going to get these messages of unique selling points to their target audience through the

advertisements created and the promotions publicized on social media pages.

PART FOUR: CREATE COPY FOR YOUR PLAN

Television Storyboard & Copy (30 seconds) w/ David Spiccia speaking

SFX: contemporary, upbeat acoustic SFX: contemporary, upbeat acoustic music slowly
music drifting off
ANNCR: Here at Pizzazz On the Circle, ANNCR: and we have continued our tradition of
we have been a family-grown restaurant feeding our customers with the freshest ingredients
for over 30 years. known to man..
-Close shot of the front of Pizzazz -Shot of this picture originator of Pizzazz.
Time: 00:00:04 Time: 00:00:03
ANNCR: .and by giving them a warm, ANNCR: Whether its coming in with
friendly environment thatll make you some friends for a meal.
want to stay. -Medium shot of college students eating
-Close shot of ingredients being cut up together, laughing.
and prepped. Time: 00:00:03
Time: 00:00:04

ANNCR: .having dinner with the family, ANNCR: .or just coming in for a couple
-Close shot of ingredients being cut up of drinks, regardless of the scenario,
and prepped. youll love what we have to offer.
Time: 00:00:02 -Close shot of ingredients being cut up
and prepped.
Time: 00:00:05

ANNCR: Either way, Pizzazz will make

you so happy, youll want to cheer! SFX: People cheering
Wide shot of people cheering, in
Wide shot of the basement (Jakes Cavaliers gear (game watch party)
speakeasy) filled with people.
Time: 00:00:04 Time: 00:00:01
Then transition to a black screen.
Showing the Pizzazz logo, with red
and white font throughout the page.

--Listing Address, Social Media, and
Phone number.

Time: 00:00:04 FADE OUT.

Radio Ad (30 seconds)

ANNCR:

Hi, my name is David Spiccia, owner and operator of Pizzazz on the Circle. Here at Pizzazz,

we pride ourselves on the fact that we have been a family-operated business for over 30

years. We provide only the freshest of ingredients to our customers. With our friendly

environment, our affordable prices, and our outright delicious food, the experience that you

will have here will be so good, that itll feel like home. So stop by our location at 20680

John Carroll Boulevard. Thats 20680 John Carroll Boulevard.

Magazine Ad

GOAL: To attract customers to eat, drink, and watch the Cavaliers play. Create community.

Internet Ad
Billboard
16. The style of commercials I chose to use was straightforward and service selling. Mostly

trying to get consumers to think about Pizzazz as a friendly, delicious, and fun atmosphere.

17. The creative strategy for helping Pizzazz improve in its marketing tactics are to have a

bigger social media presence and market more events or specials thatll get people excited and

interested in going. I feel like the basement, Jakes Speakeasy, could be utilized for more

promotional/engaging events to get people into Pizzazz.

18. By getting more involved on social media, I believe Pizzazz could reach and market to a

larger and more effective number of college students (i.e. John Carroll). Most people dont

know of the specials that Pizzazz offers and social media is an easy way for consumers to engage

in their brand. Also, sometimes people forget about the specials if they usually are aware of

them. Using social media for these purposes could be a way to remind the consumers of the

specials and get them thinking about Pizzazz. By implementing the other advertisements, I

believe this will increase your overall target audience and the people you reach. These

marketing ideas should also help build the Pizzazz brand up so that it is not only well-known and

respected in University Heights, but all of Cleveland as well.

Thank you for your time. I hope to work with you on this plan in order to help expand your

business sales!