Papa Johns Is Spying on Your Fridge to Know When You Can Be Influenced to Buy Pizza

Papa Johns, in partnership with Instacart and NBCUniversal, reportedly tracked grocery purchases to time pizza advertising on streaming platforms. The initiative, described by Carat to AdExchanger as a way to exploit hungry consumers, trialed in April and May on NBCU properties such as Peacock and NBC Sports. Instacart data was used to build custom audiences and target ads when a pantry was running low, with QR codes enabling direct orders. Advertisements were tailored by shopper purchases, emphasizing meat- or produce-focused pizzas. Papa Johns’ chief marketing officer Jenna Bromberg framed the effort as seizing the moment when a consumer is most inclined to order.