Domino’s is currently pushing a new advertising campaign that attempts to own some of the criticism they’ve received. The advert uses a combination of focus group poll participants, twitter users, and food reviewers to demonstrate that they are aware people have had issues with their pizza quality and that they are making key changes in response to this.
While I commend their effort to own criticism and improve their product, I believe their commercials may have the opposite effect they are intended to have.
Just like Nixon’s famous defense “I am not a crook” left people feeling sure that he was indeed actually a crook, saying “Our pizza doesn’t take like cardboard anymore” may leave people suspicious that it actually does. The new advertisements may lead people to associate the criticism with their product instead of associating it with their generous response.
There are other reasons this may backfire as well. It is reasonable to assume that a company with 9,000 stores and yearly revenue that surpasses $1 Billion is liked by at least a certain segment of the population. Clearly not everyone is unsatisfied with their product or they would not be able to make money at all, let alone pay for apologetic national ad campaigns.
For those of us who never thought to dislike Domino’s, we now have reasonable cause for concern. This is a bit like a husband assuring his unknowing wife that starting now he will no longer cheat on her. We could certainly forgive the wife for being concerned about formerly secret past sins and not sufficiently comforted by her husband’s new commitment.
Lastly, fast food lives in a special, hypocritical place in our cultural soul. We all eat it. We all portend to loath it. From Domino’s perspective, they should worry about whether people consistently return for more pizza…not what they say about it afterwards. As a national fast food chain, you have to abide these contradictions. Just keep cashing the checks. People are more honest with their wallets than with their conscience easing tweets.
Just my two cents.
#1 by Steven at January 11th, 2010
Their pizza doesn’t taste like cardboard anymore. Not sure if you’ve had it yet, but it’s actually very good. I didn’t go based on their ads (I saw them after), but they certainly changed the recipe up a bit and it worked. Still, I see what you are saying…
#2 by clifgriffin at January 11th, 2010
I’ve had it before and after…can’t honestly say I can tell any difference. I liked it before…I like it now.
I just think it would have been better to say “We’ve improved our recipes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement and excellent” instead of saying “We know we screwed up.”
#3 by DrewH at January 11th, 2010
Hey Clifton,
You mention you’re concerned about the new Domino’s recipe change since you were a fan of the old one. I’m doing some work with Domino’s and wanted to let you know that if you prefer the old recipe you are still able to order it. Just call the store when placing your next order and ask for your pizza without the garlic crust and request “hearty marinara” for the sauce.
#4 by clifgriffin at January 11th, 2010
I’m not concerned that the improvements aren’t improvements (though it does seem the new marinara sauce lacks a bit of the sweetness it had previously), but that is good to know (and interesting to boot).
Thanks for commenting.