This regional pizzeria’s community-first marketing can’t be topped

Earth and Soul Pizza in Victoria’s regional town of Bairnsdale is using community-focused marketing strategies to increase its sales.

Founded by Merryn Padgett and Marcus Andrews, the pizzeria is more than just a place to grab a slice — it’s a hub of authentic connection and local support.

Padgett, with a background in public engagement, and Andrews, a former restaurateur in Melbourne’s St Kilda, relocated to Bairnsdale six years ago to embark on their new venture.

Recognising the need for innovative marketing approaches, they devised a collaborator campaign to capture and retain new customers moving to the area.

Teaming up with local businesses such as a barber, podcaster, real estate agent, CrossFit gym, and homewares brand, they focused on earned media initiatives. Collaborators gift their customers pizza vouchers and promo codes, resulting in targeted revenue generation.

Responding to economic pressures

Speaking to SmartCompany, Padgett said she recognises the challenges of rural entrepreneurship amidst the cost of living crisis.

“During Covid, we saw the cost of living crisis causing a flow-on effect. Hence why we did the collaborator campaign,” Padgett explained.

“We didn’t want to do deals like your average pizza shop, we just didn’t believe in it,” she said.

Padgett underlined the importance of online reviews and the businesses’ attempt to cultivate a positive reputation on Google reviews and TripAdvisor.

“Reviews are important, people do their research,” she said.

Tapping into local networks

In addition to online presence, the duo engaged in the influence of local Facebook groups, strategically positioning themselves within these communities.

“So regionally, Facebook groups are kind of a big thing for the area,” Padgett explained.

“Each community has its own little Facebook group or several Facebook groups, and sometimes you can share into those,”

“It’s using the power of people,” she said.

They also forged partnerships with local businesses, sponsoring events and initiatives to support the community.

“I believe that when you’re living in a regional community, you need to be authentic,” she said.

Prioritising human connections

Among their collaborators are O’Brien Real Estate and Metricon Homes, both of which embraced Earth and Soul Pizza’s collaborator project by giving coupons as handover gifts to their customers.

“O’Brien Real Estate and Metricon Homes recently reached out for more vouchers and actually were happy to provide the testimony of just how much they loved the campaign,” Padgett shared.

Client testimonials attest to the campaign’s success, with clients expressing appreciation for the added value provided by pizza vouchers.

“The collaborators themselves love it too,” she added.

Embracing a grassroots approach, Earth and Soul Pizza has prioritised genuine human connections over traditional influencers.

“It’s human-to-human connection that is creating those opportunities,” she said.

Never miss a story: sign up to SmartCompany’s free daily newsletter and find our best stories on LinkedIn.