The decision coincides with Pizza Hut's weekend declaration that it intends to challenge fast food behemoths McDonald's and Burger King by creating quick-service concepts in railway stations, shopping malls and other busy thoroughfares.
It is also looking at installing take-away counters in its restaurants for busy customers who want a fast bite. The initiative aims to drive sales among afternoon shoppers and families, as well as drinkers leaving pubs at closing time.
PHD won the Pizza Hut media buying account from IDK in 1998 when the company consolidated its marketing into the Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO Group. It already handled media planning.
The UK's biggest pizza chain, jointly owned by Whitbread and Yum! Brands, formerly Tricon Restaurants, is a prolific user of many different media, including sponsorship, TV, and outdoor.
This year's Valentine's Day saw the Evening Standard's now-defunct Hot Tickets magazine wrapped in foil branded with Pizza Hut livery. It was promoting the restaurant chain's new Oven-Fresh Delivery system to couples spending a romantic evening in.
The promotion also saw Pizza Hut sponsoring the Evening Standard's Valentine's Day message board with an invitation to send a text message to win a prize.
In February PHD brokered a year-long, £2m deal with Capital Radio, in which the pizza brand will sponsor the Foxy's Big Drive Home show and the nightly Schooly's Six Slices programme. The most recent TV campaign starred the four Pop Idol judges.
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