Papa Johns India has appointed Dentsu as its integrated agency partner for Creative, Media, and PR after a competitive multi-agency pitch. The account has been set to be managed from Dentsu’s Bengaluru office.
The agency has been mandated to drive end-to-end communications through a unified approach. Dentsu Creative Webchutney has taken charge of creative strategy, brand identity, and campaign development. iProspect has handled the digital-first media and performance marketing, while Posterscope has overseen out-of-home and on-ground activations. Dentsu Creative PR has been tasked with managing earned media, influencer outreach, and reputation building.
The partnership has come ahead of Papa Johns’ re-entry into the Indian market, with its first restaurants scheduled to open in Bengaluru.
As per media reports, US pizza chain Papa John’s International has planned to return to India by October, aiming to open 650 stores over the next decade in a market where fast-food chains have been struggling to sustain sales growth.
The world’s third-largest pizza delivery company, which has exited India in 2017 citing underperformance, has followed US rival Little Caesars, which has opened in India earlier this year with a target of 100 stores by the decade-end.
Papa John’s has planned to open its first store in Bengaluru. The Indian investment house and UAE-based PJP Investments Group have been named as Papa John’s joint master franchisees in India.
Tapan Vaidya, Group CEO, PJP Investments Group, Master Franchisee in India, said, “We are excited to welcome dentsu India as our official agency partner after a highly competitive review. Their strong understanding of the Indian market, data-led approach, and integrated capabilities align perfectly with our vision of delivering Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. We are confident this partnership will help us connect with customers and grow Papa Johns in India.”
Indrajeet Mookherjee, CEO, Dentsu Creative Webchutney, added, “We are incredibly proud to have won the integrated mandate for the prestigious Papa Johns. This win is a testament to the power of collaboration across the One dentsu network, uniting Creative, Media, and PR under a single vision. From the very first briefing, it was evident that this was more than a pizza launch – it was about bringing a global icon into a whole new cultural conversation. That is the kind of challenge we thrive on – fresh ideas, bold storytelling, and a topping of new narratives that will redefine the pizza category in India.”
