After moving to a new location, Enzo's Pizzeria needed to remind LA customers of what they’re known for — their signature 23" pizza. They also wanted to establish themselves as the neighborhood spot for watching the game. The challenge was to build that sports-bar identity without losing the classic offerings that made people love Enzo's in the first place.

Role: Creative Strategist / Copywriter

Challenge

This indoor billboard ad had two jobs. It needed to push existing customers toward that signature 23” pizza and also position the restaurant as a place to either watch the game or to cater from for customers’ watch party needs.

Still from a mock Meta Ad pitched to client for their future digital advertising expansion

The Idea

Rather than write separate messages, I looked for one cultural moment that could carry both. That moment came June 2026, when LeBron James (who spent much of his career in the number 23) announced he was leaving the Lakers.

  • For LA, the news was a major emotional event. The number 23 is legendary in basketball, and now it has become so tied to LeBron that it’s culutral shorthand (ex: calling someone’s 23rd birthday their "LeBron year.")

  • Enzo's also has a tie to the number 23, so the brand had an organic, authentic way into a conversation every sports fan in city was having.

  • LeBron is leaving LA, but Enzo's 23" pizza isn’t going anywhere. A one-liner intended to be funny, but also to deliver a sense of reassurance. At a moment when LA fans were feeling a loss, Enzo's offers something constant, turning a pop-culture reference into a statement about the brand's roots in the city.

  • This ad launched in August 2026, the halfway point between LeBron’s announcement and the 2026 NBA season beginning in October. The ad joined a conversation that was already happening and built awareness for game-day traffic before the season even started.

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