Jaywing bounces back with major slice of PizzaExpress

PizzaExpress has handed Jaywing UK its CRM and performance media account, in the first major new business win for the agency since being acquired by fintech platform Stubben Edge in May.

The appointment, which follows a competitive pitch process, will cover everything from strategy to activation, with data-driven personalisation at its heart.

PizzaExpress was launched in London’s Soho in 1965 and now operates across in 12 international markets including Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Its PizzaExpress Club loyalty scheme has over 3 million members.

The company set two challenges as part of the pitch process. The first was CRM: how to make every customer interaction feel more personal. That meant looking at everything from data strategy and segmentation through to e-mail design, creative and delivery.

The aim was to create fully automated journeys tailored to each customer, whether a family celebration, a regular lunch spot, or meeting specific dietary needs.

The second challenge was performance media. PizzaExpress wanted a partner who could build a smart, effective strategy across both performance and digital innovation. That included developing a plan to deliver immediate impact, rethinking channel mix, using technology to make creative work harder, and pushing analytics and measurement further.

PizzaExpress said Jaywing stood out because of its ability to bring CRM and media together through integrated audience data. Ultimately it was the team’s experience in delivering personalised customer experiences, and the strong cultural fit and sense of energy that won through.

The partnership will be built around clear goals; bringing data, creativity and personalisation together to co-create campaigns that drive real growth to what is already PizzaExpress’ digital powerhouse.

PizzaExpress marketing director Lou Jones said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Jaywing. Even in the early stages, it’s been clear they bring not only huge talent but are also a great cultural fit with our team.

“Embedding our CRM and performance media into an integrated data-led approach is something we’re very excited about, and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”

Jaywing chief customer officer Jonny Sycamore added: “From our very first conversation, it was clear there was a real spark between our teams and a shared ambition to do something special together. This is more than a pitch win; it’s the start of a true partnership and we can’t wait to get going.”

Jaywing was launched over 25 years ago by former First Direct chiefs Martin Boddy and Andy Gardner. At its height, in the year ending March 31 2018, Jaywing had revenues of £47.5m, with gross profits of £36.7m.

However, years of turbulence sparked restructure after restructure, culminating in its decision to de-list from AIM and re-register as a private company earlier this year.

It was acquired by Stubben Edge Group soon after, as part of plans to tap into the agency’s data-driven expertise and drive the fintech’s expansion strategy.