Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Literacy Program
Case Studies ❯ Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Literacy Program
Fueling a Love for Reading with Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT!® Program
Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT!® program is a fun and flexible set of edutainment resources used by teachers in US primary schools. By rewarding accomplishments with praise, recognition (and pizza!) kids can celebrate their reading achievements throughout the year.
The BOOK IT! ® team was looking to support their goal of building brand affinity for Pizza Hut among families, as well as keeping the community outreach program relevant and accessible as consumers move into an age of both digital and traditional communications.
Since 2009, Kidzsmart has partnered with the Pizza Hut team to create the teacher and student resources, as well as the restaurant activity sheets promoting the program.
The Goal
Pizza Hut had an ambitious goal: to reach millions of students across 38,000 U.S. elementary schools every year. They needed a partner who could bring together classroom learning, playful storytelling, and cross-channel delivery – all while reinforcing the brand’s role in supporting kids’ growth. Kidzsmart was brought in to help shape a unified experience that would drive classroom engagement, inspire kids to read, and naturally connect those moments back to the Pizza Hut brand at home.
The Challenge
BOOK IT!® has been a classroom staple since the 1980s, but students are now growing up in a world shaped by technology. Screens, interactivity, and digital learning are second nature to them. To stay relevant, Pizza Hut needed to modernize the program in a way that would captivate digital-native students while still fitting seamlessly into classroom settings.
The challenge? Designing something that felt exciting and current to students, easy and practical for teachers, and genuinely meaningful for families – regardless of how or where the learning happened.
The Solution
Kidzsmart elevated BOOK IT!® into a fun, flexible, forward-thinking program. It was designed to ignite a lifelong love of reading while strengthening the connection between classrooms, homes, and the Pizza Hut brand.
Creative Strategy
We developed resources for teachers and students that encouraged daily reading habits through compelling visuals and narrative design. Each annual campaign delivered a carefully balanced Pizza Hut brand presence alongside themes that highlighted their literary partners – from Kidzsmart’s own character creations to collaborations with household names like Jeff Kinney and Kate DiCamillo.
Integrated Learning Solutions
Recognizing that many students are digital learners, we created tools that integrated naturally into the classroom and captured kids’ attention. From the interactive Minute Tracker to unlockable classroom features and author-led videos, every piece of content helped students track progress and take pride in their achievements. The technology gave educators and students new ways to engage with reading goals, making progress more visible, measurable, and fun.
Immersive Edutainment
We brought the joy of reading off the screen and into students’ hands with tactile elements that reinforced their success. From collectible stickers and vibrant T-shirt designs to journals and personalized certificates, every piece of the program was intentionally designed to create memorable, motivating moments. These touchpoints helped students celebrate small wins and stay excited throughout their reading journey – while reinforcing Pizza Hut’s role in their success.
The Results
More than a decade after our first collaboration, the work we did with Pizza Hut continues to resonate in classrooms and living rooms across the country. The refreshed BOOK IT!® program proved that when family engagement, education, and brand storytelling come together with purpose... They can lead to unbelievable results!
Massive Reach
Over 14 million students across 38,000 classrooms engaged with BOOK IT!® each year, supported by Kidzsmart’s evolving portfolio of print and digital content.
Stronger Brand Affinity
Through shared milestones and playful, positive memories, the program nurtured lasting emotional connections between families and the Pizza Hut brand.
Meaningful Innovation
While our collaboration focused on a specific moment in the program’s long history, the solutions we implemented laid the groundwork for a more modern, connected BOOK IT!® - one that could continue evolving with students’ needs while holding onto the spirit that made it so iconic.
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