# Illicit Pizza-Smuggling Campaigns The 'Pizza Ninja' Helped Customers Sneak Food into Theaters By Alexander Lam | Published 2013-07-04 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/food-into-theaters References: [adsoftheworld](http://adsoftheworld.com/media/online/i_love_pizza_pizza_pizza_ninja) & [ilovepizzapizza](http://www.ilovepizzapizza.com/) Helping people avoid overpriced concessions and smuggle food into theaters, food retailer 'I Love Pizza Pizza' released the [Pizza Ninja](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/underground-delivery) campaign in Ecuador. Just like a ninja, the Pizza Ninja helped frugal Ecuadorians [sneak pizza into movie theaters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fresh-twist-on-soda). The restaurant provided specially packaged pizza slices to help customers enjoy a fresh piece of pizza in the theater. Instructions on how to effectively sneak pizza in were also included on the [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizza-spa) page. The inspiration behind Pizza Ninja came from I Love Pizza Pizza's location beside a mall movie theater. Since the restaurant had a small budget, the LAIKA creative digital agency was commissioned to find a cheap way to boost sales. Over six months, I Love Pizza Pizza gained 200,000 Facebook fans which made it the top retail food brand community in Ecuador. I Love Pizza Pizza was eventually asked to stop its campaign by the mall. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.4/10 - Popularity: 10% | Activity: 25% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: South America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Interactive](https://www.trendhunter.com/interactive) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Food Smuggling:** Opportunity for retailers to create innovative ways to help customers avoid overpriced concessions and dine in unconventional locations. - **Social Media Marketing:** Opportunity for brands to leverage social media platforms to engage with and grow their customer base. - **Budget-friendly Advertising:** Opportunity for businesses with limited budgets to find creative and cost-effective ways to promote their products or services. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food Retail:** Opportunity for food retailers to explore new ways to cater to customer needs and preferences. - **Digital Advertising:** Opportunity for digital marketing agencies to assist businesses in creating effective online campaigns. - **Entertainment and Hospitality:** Opportunity for movie theaters and other entertainment venues to enhance customer experience and offer unique dining options. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Subway Pizza Deliveries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/underground-delivery.md) - [Pizza Rental Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crustbuster.md) - [Deceptive Pizza Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizza-hut-frozen-pizza.md) - [Hong Kong Pizza Popups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pop-up-pizza-hut.md) - [TV Game-Inspired Pizza Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emergency-pizza-campaign.md) - [Superhero Snack Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-ghost-chilli-chicken-wings.md) - [Frozen Pizza-Centered Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frozen-pizza-publicist.md) - [Pizza-Focused Climate Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizza-futures.md) - [Villainous Pizza Crust Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-massacre-by-kfc.md)