Social Experiment Utilizing “Pay What You Want” Pizza Truck Underscores Newman’s Own Mission to Support Children Who Face Adversity by Donating All Proceeds to Charity
Newman’s Own, Inc. recently unveiled the results of its Generosity Index, a unique social experiment that measured generosity across the nation through a “Pay What You Want” pizza truck tour created by agency DCX Growth Accelerator. The findings revealed that residents of Los Angeles and Taylor Swift fans, known as Swifties, are some of the most generous people in the country. This initiative not only provided valuable insights into American generosity but also furthered the Newman’s Own mission since 100% of the tour’s proceeds were donated to help children facing adversity through the Newman’s Own Foundation.
As the truck traveled to other major markets, it became evident that Los Angeles residents led the way nationally in generosity, spending an average of $5.54 per slice. This unexpected outcome highlighted the city’s strong sense of community and willingness to contribute to causes that make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children.
In addition to geographical insights, the tour provided data on consumer generosity linked to their pop culture preferences. Among fans of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and BTS, Swifties emerged as the most generous, spending an average of $1 more per slice than Livies. This finding is consistent with Taylor Swift’s well-known charitable efforts and her fans’ dedication to giving back.
Sports rivalries also played a role in the generosity data. Yankees fans outspent Red Sox fans by 46% at the Newman’s Own pizza trucks parked outside the games, while University of Michigan fans were 50% more generous than Ohio State fans on average.
Interestingly, data showed that age and disposable income had little impact on generosity. Baby Boomers and Generation X paid roughly the same amount per slice ($3.34/slice), despite Gen X having nearly 50% more disposable income. Similarly, Millennials and Gen Z donated $2.75/slice and $2.61/slice respectively, with Millennials having almost 2x the disposable income of their Gen Z counterparts.
Newman’s Own Generosity Index
“Taking the Newman’s Own pizza truck across the country as a social experiment on people’s generosity was an insightful experience,” said Peter Kaye, Interim Chief Growth Officer at Newman’s Own, Inc. “While the results were entertaining and sometimes surprising, they confirmed what we already knew—Americans are generous people who love Newman’s Own pizza!”
“We’re excited to see such great generosity in this country, to help even more kids, and to continue our founder Paul Newman’s desire to make the world a better place,” commented David Best, President and CEO at Newman’s Own, Inc.
For more information about Newman’s Own, Inc. and the Newman’s Own Generosity Index, please visit generosityindex.com. Follow the company on Instagram @newmansown and TikTok @newmansownfood for updates on brand initiatives and new product launches.
