10000%
increase in social shares on Instagram
300%
increase in engagement activity
40%
increase in followers across all social platforms
The Challenge
Getting older isn’t easy, especially for a restaurant with Californian roots. In 2025, California Pizza Kitchen was about to turn 40. And at (almost) 40, they weren’t getting as much hype as they would have deserved. So they pretended to be something they’re not.
The Approach
Instead of hiding from middle age, Iris led CPK to stage its own midlife crisis. By framing their 40th like a high-fashion brand drop, CPK fully leaned in – loud, proud, and totally tongue-in-cheek. A fake rebrand rolled out across channels, reimagining CPK as a hyper-minimalist moody, techno eatery.
Then we pulled the plug on it. Actor and CPK superfan Busy Philipps crashed the new look CPK and steered the brand back to its roots. What followed was a rallying cry to embrace who we are: California born, endlessly inventive, known for deliciously different food and great service since 1985.
And proudly 40.