Inside Pizza Hut’s Community Project with Keith Lee

In partnership with online influencer Keith Lee, Pizza Hut wants to use the power of social media to engage his followers to connect with the brand, and to be able to give back to the community where he grew up.

Introducing the FamiLEE Community Pizza, a delectable creation by Keith Lee himself, featuring his family’s favorite toppings: pepperoni and bacon on a hand-tossed crust. Known for his captivating food content, Lee has always prioritized his roots and community. As part of this collaboration, Pizza Hut and Keith Lee are donating $50,000 to Southfield ANT and Oak Hills High School, where Keith and his wife Ronni attended. 

Since it was posted on Keith Lee’s own TikTok channel last week, the announcement on Pizza Hut’s campaign has been viewed more than 6 million times. Moreover, the brand is offering the $12ANY promotion together with the FamiLEE pizza that allows each family to customize their toppings and crust to meet their needs at an affordable price as part of this campaign. The financial agreement was not disclosed. 

Lindsay Morgan, Pizza Hut’s CMO said the brand has always been a fan of Keith Lee but when they reached out for an introductory meeting during his Dallas food tour, it was his wife, who is a big Pizza Hut fan, suggested that he talk with the brand. Lee was presented with the campaign as a chance to work on a project aligned with his passion for food and community involvement. Since Keith has such extensive knowledge and influence in the culinary world, Pizza Hut saw it as a natural fit to partner with him.

“From there, the collaboration sparked a natural relationship. Since generosity is at the center of everything Keith does, we loved his suggestion of having a portion of the proceeds be donated to his and his wife’s alma maters and were happy to partner together on this,” said Morgan.

Keith’s charismatic presence and genuine appreciation for quality food made him the perfect ambassador for Pizza Hut’s brand. This campaign Pizza Hut’s mission of providing delicious food while giving back to the community resonated deeply with his passion for exploring new flavors and commitment to supporting charitable causes.

Morgan explained that selecting Keith Lee for the campaign was a strategic move aimed at enhancing Pizza Hut’s brand image and expanding its reach to a broader audience. In addition, Morgan recognized TikTok as a platform where users frequently explore food and restaurant trends, making it an obvious match, especially since Keith has such an avid and engaged following on the platform.

“We were excited because many of Keith Lee’s hopes for the campaign aligned with our own and we loved that he wanted to lead with a charitable donation and showcase the brand’s philanthropic efforts alongside his culinary influence and goal to deliver value for his audience,” said Morgan. 

TikTok has emerged as a central hub where individuals instinctively turn to discover information on food and restaurant trends. Recognizing this trend, more brands are viewing it as a valuable opportunity to invest in the creator economy and develop brand campaigns that connect with audiences authentically.

This recently happened when Knorr engaged the Gen Z working class with its campaign and Visible Wireless celebrating single awareness day. This approach aligns with the growing emphasis on transparency and authenticity, making TikTok an ideal platform for reaching and engaging with consumers.