The Brief:

Tucked away in the centre of Bankstown is a lively, traditional, family-owned Lebanese Pizzeria & Bakery, Mt Lewis Pizzeria. Founded in 2005 by an immigrant family who aims to bring a taste of home to Sydney and offer a healthy and affordable grocery option, Mt Lewis Pizzeria remains a popular destination for those seeking authentic Middle Eastern Manoush. Today, under the management of their son Jason Tarraf, the restaurant continues this very same mission, with a modern dining experience further enhancing the Lebanese culture.

In January 2023, Millennium Communications was appointed the PR agency for Mt Lewis Pizzeria. Jason’s goal was clear- to gain media mentions of the venue and generate thought leadership pieces in credible lifestyle and food publications. The only challenge we faced was Jason’s poor experience with a previous PR agency. To overcome this, we had open communication lines, provided consistent updates and ensured we were honest and realistic with the campaign.

RESULTS:

When we approached the campaign, we started by curating a narrative of how Jason utilises TikTok to market the family-owned restaurant, showcasing the Lebanese culture to younger demographics. As a result, the venue has gone viral a few times, and Jason has become known as The Manoush Man. This story gained attention from media, including Sydney Weekender, The Daily Telegraph, Studio 10, news.com.au and a dedicated morning segment on Sunrise Weather. As a result, we opened up Jason to thought leadership pieces in business outlets, including SBS News, Smart Company and Inside Small Business. We then curated a promotional campaign, $1 Manoush Mondays, to gain mentions in food media, including TimeOut, Urban List and Concrete Playground.