BLAZE
PIZZA 

From Pre-Launch Buzz to 250 Stores: A Case Study in Scalable Social Media

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The Challenge: Architecting a Billion-Dollar Growth Trajectory

Fifty & Five was engaged as the lead digital partner for Blaze Pizza prior to the opening of its first location. The mandate was to build a scalable digital infrastructure capable of supporting the most aggressive growth curve in the history of the Fast-Casual restaurant industry.

 

Our Strategic Framework

Our ten-year partnership focused on three core pillars of digital dominance:

1. Identity & Voice Engineering

We developed the "Fast-Fire'd" brand persona, moving beyond traditional food marketing to create a social-first visual identity.

• Creative Assets: Produced high-fidelity, cinematic videography and food photography designed for viral engagement on Instagram and TikTok.

• Audience Resonance: Crafted a witty, approachable brand voice that bridged the gap between artisanal pizza and mass-market convenience.

2. Celebrity Integration & Macro-Campaigns

Fifty & Five orchestrated the digital rollout for high-stakes brand collaborations and multi-state expansions.

• The LeBron James Factor: We managed the social strategy for major campaigns involving investor LeBron James, translating celebrity star power into localized foot traffic and app downloads.

• Event-Driven Growth: Executed national digital strategies for dozens of grand openings and signature events like Pi Day ($3.14 Pizza), driving record-breaking single-day sales volumes.

3. Enterprise-Scale Social Customer Care

As the footprint expanded to hundreds of locations, Fifty & Five provided the human-led "Command Center" required for a national brand.

• Daily Engagement: Managed thousands of daily customer inquiries and sentiment-driven comments.

• Loyalty Retention: Implemented a best-in-class social customer service protocol that turned customer feedback into brand advocacy, maintaining a high positive sentiment score throughout a decade of rapid scaling.

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The Result: From Zero to Category Leader

Our partnership was instrumental in fueling Blaze Pizza's "fiery rise," transforming a single-concept startup into a national powerhouse with hundreds of locations.

• Metric of Success: Sustained digital support through the brand’s journey to becoming the fastest-growing food chain in history.

• Industry Impact: Established a blueprint for how modern franchise brands use social media as a primary customer acquisition and retention channel.