The Pepperoni Priest

While working at agency WONGDOODY, my arm was twisted into helping out with a pitch for Roundtable Pizza. If we landed the account, it would provide millions of dollars in fees and commissions, so the agency went all out creating rough-cut commercials — complete with sound and animation — for the big presentation.

After the concepts were developed, the mighty WONGDOODY broadcast department went to work making it happen. A number of agency staff were asked to appear in the commercials, and I was cast as “real parish priest Father Ross.” The agency took over a Roundtable Pizza in Burien, WA, and recruited real customers to appear in the commercial in exchange for — you guessed it, free pizza.

Since it was a rough cut, reading from handheld cards is customary — but I think I still make a convincing priest. And, best of all, I too received free pizza that day. Here’s how it turned out, with apologies for the low-resolution.