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Subscribe to RSSThe pizza company has taken down an online commercial encouraging debate-goers to ask the presidential candidates about their topping preferences after experiencing backlash from people who say advertising ploys have no place in politics. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.
Pizza Hut is rethinking its contest daring people to ask "Sausage or Pepperoni?" at the presidential debate Tuesday.
After the stunt triggered backlash last week, the company says it's moving the promotion online, where a contestant will be randomly selected to win free pizza for life.
The pizza delivery chain had offered the prize — a pie a week for 30 years or a check for $15,600 — to anyone who posed the question to either President Barack Obama or Republican candidate Mitt Romney during the live Town Hall-style debate.
But blogs and media outlets immediately took the pizza delivery chain to task for trying to capitalize on the election buzz by injecting itself into the process.
A Pizza Hut spokesman says in an email that moving the contest online was a "natural progression of the campaign" after people got excited about the idea and "wished they could get in on it."
Pizza Hut, a unit of Yum Brands Inc., says it will still honor the prize if someone poses the question live at the debate. But it's encouraging everyone to participate in the new online version, where contestants must enter their email addresses and zip codes to be eligible. The company did not say whether it would award two prizes if someone does ask the question.
The change comes after Pizza Hut's stunt became the butt of jokes last week.
In a segment on Comedy Central's "Colbert Report," host Stephen Colbert asked, "What could be more American than using our electoral process for product placement?"
Colbert said the prize for a free Pizza Hut pie every week meant that "if you eat one of their pizzas every week, you will die in 30 years."
The blog Gawker wrote about the stunt under the headline, "Want Free Pizza Hut Pizza for Life? Just Make a Mockery of the American Democratic System on Live TV." The site wrote that all the contestant had to do was "embarrass themselves on live television before the President of the United States and millions of their fellow Americans."
Pizza Hut's stunt comes as TV audiences have become increasingly resistant to traditional commercials. As marketers look for new ways to engage viewers, the presidential election has presented a rare opportunity.
Earlier this month, an estimated 67.2 million people watched the first debate between Obama and Romney. That made it the largest TV audience for a presidential debate since 1992, according to Nielsen's ratings service.
This isn't the first time a promotion tied to current events has backfired. Last year, Kenneth Cole compared the Arab Spring uprisings to a frenzy over the U.S. designer's spring collection; the company later apologized.
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Leave a Comment:
I think the real issue is...Coke...or Pepsi?
Just goes to show how worthless both candidates are.
Blake, want to try to explain that...?
No reason to debate left winger. Sausage.
Blake,
Exactly, the Presidency has become a popularity contest...
The media's bias and the PRIVATE Debate Commission has already made a mockery of the democratic process. If you think your candidate gives two cents about you then you truly are delusional. Why is it that third party candidates are not allowed to participate?
It would be nice to have a real choice. Imagine a viable Green Party, A Socialist Party, A tea Party. Parties that could actually elect a candidate and have a vote like a Parliamentary democracy.
We already have a Socialist Party, it would be nice to have a Democrat party...
You're right, no need to debate, it's Pepperoni!
Never had a Democrat party.
I love how raddave doesn't argue the socialist agenda and only points out that I used the epithet "Democrat" instead of "Democratic". Whatever, it is pointless to argue semantics. Did I misuse a your for a you are somewhere too?
I believe the answer is..........Depends. Har dee har har har!!!!!!!!!!
I love how inane statements are promoted as reality, such as "socialist agenda." Also, the use of the "epithet" "Democrat party" in place of Democratic Party demonstrates juvenile attempts at debate. Just because Limbaugh and his followers, including so-called leaders of the Republican Party use this sophomoric expression, it does not make it something that actual adults should resort to in political arguments. It goes far beyond semantics...and it has nothing to do with grammar. It was a weak post, and the argument you make in a poor attempt to justify it is even weaker.
I was under the impression that this was an article about Pizza Hut pulling a poor attempt at advertising, but it looks as though some right wingers feel any topic is an opening for their chance to post talking points. Pizza Hut isn't alone in cheapening the political debate.
You know what it takes to make a viable third party? Voters.
We'll all be in a better position as soon as we get over this idea that voting for what you really want, even if it's not popular, is wasting a vote.
I vote third party as much as possible. My candidate may not win but if the big parties see it as a spoiler vote maybe there will be some slight reform to try to rope voters like me in.
OR Boxers or Briefs?
How about Toyota pulling the Shuttle ( Wonder when the ad will be released)..... Sometimes people & companies just have NO CLASS.....
This entire country is turning into a pathetic bunch of whiners complaining about anything even if it has no merit. I thought it was a funny promotion. Hell a little humor injected into the pathetic joke of an election is much needed.
I believe Sarah Palin already made a mockery of our system when she ran for VP, lol, and then thought anything she said afterwards, for others in her party, mattered.
I would just settle for Pizza Hut to actually put more cheese on my pizza when i request it.
I don't know what that stuff is on Dominos and Pizza Hut pizzas but it aint cheese. It's from cows pumped full of hormones and atibiotics and fed nothing but genetically modified corn and soy which is not what cows were built to eat.
All the cows are cloned and say DuPont on their sides. AND they don't blink!!!!!
"Pizza Hut's stunt comes as TV audiences have become increasingly resistant to traditional commercials. As marketers look for new ways to engage viewers,"
How about a decent product at a decent price? Oh yeah, marketing firms don't make any money on a product that sells itself.
I'd be more than glad to ask the question, but I know what the results would be:
Mitt Rmoney: Well, I have a plan to answer that question, but before I can answer, just let me reassure you, that I do, in fact, have a plan.
Barak Obama: Mmhm, while we wait for Mr. Rmoney to plan his answer, let me assure you that, while I do occassionaly look back to see where I've been, I am only looking forward tonight, and tonight I'm looking forward to....
Would be funny if someone asked the question and a candidate replied "...I don't really like pizza".
Pizza Hut really got mileage out of this nonsense. (BTW, the pizza is pitiful). They should spend more time on their sauce, than gimmicks.
Something about Pizza Huts dough pwns my large intestine, so i took it as more as a threat than reward.
as a former employee, I can tell you that a medium pizza has about 10 tablespoons worth of oil that the dough soaks in and larges have about 15 tablespoons worth of oil. That's probably what is hurting lol.
What kind of oil do they use? Not olive oil, I bet.
I assume it is 10W30 weight oil.
The Pizza Hut question is about as useful as asking the candidates about religion. At least with the Pizza Hut question they can state a one word answer and move on instead of droning on for 15 minutes.
"Just Make a Mockery of the American Democratic System on Live TV" uhm, isn't that what the past 30 years have been all about?
....like the blogs and media outlets NEVER do this themselves....
This latest gimmick by PeeHut underscores why I don't buy their pies and never will.
Sadly, there is NOTHING on their website about this at ALL. I sent them an email, asking why...and when are they gonna get their poop in a group? It's already 2PM EST the DAY before the debate!!!
Take the $15,000 and get a real pizza!
Geez, I'm not going to the restaurants that YOU frequent...
While I think it is interesting that a Company would seriously try to make a Mockery of the Political debates....It doesn't surprise me. Just more of the "dumbing down" of America in General.
While I don't explicitly blame "hollywood" for the weakening of American "values" I believe that repeated exposure to even simulated violence has a negative effect.
This idea that companies must continually put themselves in our face or be relegated to lower sales.....I don't like it. Spend the money on the customer you already have....not the one you don't. If you make a better product for a better value the world will beat a path to your door.
Maybe....just maybe Pizza Hut is played out.....who says companies are supposed to go on forever? Yum brands seem to know when a brand is played out....didn't they do a bait and switch with Arby's and Wendy's? Not that they seem to know much else....Not a big fan of Yum brands......I don't like their style. This stunt is a prime example.
This threatened the sanctity of traditional pizza!
Pizza Hut,
Please leave the ridiculous, stupid, and asinine commentary to the partisans in the spin room after the debate
Mitt Romney would be like, "What is this round, cheese-covered bread you peasants call 'Pizz-a'?"
Debate question for Obama: Mr. President why does the ring that you've worn, as a wedding ring, for over 30 years now reads; "There is no God, but Allah"?
http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/obamas-ring-there-is-no-god-but-allah/
You really want to bring religion into it, considering the things Romney believes in his kooky Mormon religion?
Unbelievable, richard...wanna buy a bridge? Truly amazing. Hey, if you don't have any real arguments against Obama, just make things up.
LOL!!! You referenced WingNutDaily as a SOURCE!??
Pizza Hut either has morons, or 16 year olds, making their decisions. Some of us think this "Do something really stupid for the camera" stuff has already gone way, way too far, and certainly doesn't need to be used to turn a presidential debate into a Pizza Hut commercial.
The so-called debates deserve it and they deserve it in spades. Plainly you're either a partisan or you haven't been paying attention to the latest crop of losers that that will be on these debates.
Cameron- as opposed to kooky Islam, or wacky Judaism, or loony pagans, or shift Lutherans, or psycho Santerians, or crazy Copts, or arrogant atheists, or simple-minded secular humanists, or superstitious agnostics?
Open your mind a crack; open it at least as wide as your mouth.
That question would be so much more relevant if Herman Cain was still in the race.
Hey, somebody SHOULD ask it - it's about the only question that you would be able to get a straight truthful answer from either of them. And even that isn't a sure thing! But if you asked "Coke or Pepsi", Obama would probably say "Columbian or Mexican coke?"
We really should not ask such a silly question. We should limit our questions to ones asked in the past like, "Briefs or boxers?"
Wow, spineless. It's not like either candidate would answer anyway. These guys are the two best people in the world at talking while NOT SAYING anything.
This is an OUTRAGE! Perfectly good pizza, being sullied by association with a sham television ratings event that is part of the cynicism and stupidity that passes for politics in this country.