Pizza By The Bay
Industry
Hospitality
Pizza By The Bay is a landmark restaurant in South Mumbai with a legacy dating back to 1968. Originally launched as Talk of the Town and later known as Jazz By The Bay, the brand eventually evolved into today’s iconic sea-facing Italian restaurant. Known for its Art Deco interiors, freshly rolled pizzas, and panoramic Marine Drive views, it’s a favourite for both locals and tourists.
The Challenge
While the restaurant had strong offline equity, its online presence didn’t reflect that legacy. There was no budget for paid media, and their feed lacked a compelling voice or strategy to drive organic engagement.
Our Strategic Approach
We Leaned into Nostalgia, Not Just Pizza
The restaurant’s long-standing reputation meant guests had decades of memories tied to it. We introduced a monthly content theme around its Jazz By The Bay era—featuring old photos, longtime staff, and customer stories. This reconnected older audiences and introduced new followers to its legacy, reinforcing credibility without sounding boastful.
We Shifted the Content Focus to Real Experiences
We shifted away from their food-only feed into a more immersive content feed, showcasing guests mid-meal, Marine Drive views, and behind-the-scenes team moments. This made the feed feel more alive and helped followers imagine the full experience of dining at Pizza By The Bay.
We Made Influencer Barter Deals More Accountable
The brand faced issues with influencers who didn’t deliver agreed-upon content after their complimentary meals. We tackled this by offering follow-up discount vouchers—redeemable at the client’s other Mumbai restaurants—only after deliverables were completed. This not only improved accountability but also nudged creators to explore other properties in the group, increasing potential exposure across brands.
Performance-Driven Adjustments
We saw steady profile visits, but reach beyond followers was low. We collaborated with relevant Mumbai food creators to target new audiences, and data showed content featuring diner interactions and staff-led reels drove higher engagement. We adjusted our monthly mix to lean into these formats, helping us grow reach while improving engagement too.
The Results (Year 3 vs Year 1)
Total Reach: 2.8× growth
Non-Follower Reach: 4.4× growth
Engagements: 3.7× growth
Non-Follower Engagement: 6.3× growth