Assume You’ve Been Hired by a Local Small Business

And my students’ promotional video — Tony’s Pizza

In my AP Macroeconomics course this past semester, I challenged my students.

“Assume,” I said, “that you been hired by a local small business to produce a no more than five-minute Youtube video designed to drive student traffic in the direction of the small business that has hired you.”

One of my students, Jacob B., and his friend, fellow SMHS senior Gavin O., readily accepted my challenge, producing the 1:32 video appearing below, with this video seeking to drive student traffic to Tony’s Pizza

Tony’s Pizza is located in San Marino, California, twenty-five minutes by car northeast of downtown Los Angeles and less than three-minutes by foot from the San Marino High School’s administrative offices.

Since first opening its doors in 1973, Tony’s Pizza has been using the freshest ingredients to create New York-style pizzas.

A New York-style pizza is “a pizza made with a characteristically large hand-tossed thin crust, often sold in wide slices to go.”

The crust, if properly made, “is typically thick and crisp only along its edge, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded in half to eat.”

According to its website, “Tony’s Pizza has for nearly a half-century been serving New York-style pizza using the Scott-Belli family recipes and fresh, healthy ingredients, with the traditional toppings consisting of simply tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.”

Jacob Responds to the 2 Slice Challenge’s Criticism of Tony’s Pizza

This past April, the Land of ZA produced a 3:26 Youtube video that suggested Tony’s cheese slice and pepperoni slice pizzas “didn’t come close to an authentic New York pizza.”

Does Land of ZA make a good point? I don’t know. I’ve not spent much time in New York and am therefore not exactly sure what a New York-style pizza is supposed to look or taste like.

I do know however that not everyone agrees with Land of ZA’s claim that Tony’s produces a “disappointing” New York-style pizza.

Below, just one sampling of a Yelp Review suggesting that Tony’s in fact makes great-tasting New York-style pizza, with this review having been provided by someone identifying himself as David C.

Best pizza in L.A.? I don’t know about that, but as a New Yorker, I can proclaim that Tony’s makes great pizza. The sauce is really good and the crust (which I always order well done and crunchy) also is excellent. Check it out. I’m a New Yorker. I know pizza.

Regardless, I like the pizza that Tony’s produces and so do my friends. Below, what one of my friends says about Tony’s.

It’s not so much about the pizza at Tony’s. It’s more abouty the entire experience. With Tony’s, just like with In’-N-Out, there’s a loyalty and an enthusiasm for the brand that very, very few restaurants can ever obtain.

And here’s what SMHS Small Business teacher Ms. Courtney Rushing says about Tony’s.

With Tony’s you get the “Where everyone knows your name” feel. Tony’s is family, the culture of San Marino, an institution. Mike, his staff and his family are always welcoming and warm. Being from Southern California, I am not a “New York Pizza” expert, but I have had a lot of sub par pizza. The food at Tony’s never disappoints. Everything on the menu is fresh, and feels like it was made at home. I would recommend (and have) Tony’s to anyone looking for great food, friendly people and a glance into what makes Small Businesses so important to our culture.

Teacher Inserted Sidenote

After having produced his Tony’s Pizza promotional video, Jacob produced a second promotional video, with this 1:36 video designed to encourage graduating Huntington Middle School students to attend San Marino High School, rather than some local private high school.

Jacob then produced a 31:34 California’s Gold, Huel Howser-style video that sought to tell the story of his father’s Arkon Resources, Inc., a small business that provides the largest assortment of professional-grade mounts, holders, tripods, and stands for tablets, phones, cameras, GPS, and live streaming.

Jacob is a senior and a speech and debate standout who “especially enjoys talking to a camera.”