A negative social media exposure by way of a video threatened the image of Domino's Pizza International. The video, which became viral online, shows two of Domino's employees tampering and playing with customers' food orders. The management of Domino's Pizza must come up with a plan to negate the viral video and to protect its reputation before everything else comes to worst.
Jana Seijts; Paul Bigus
Harvard Business Review (W11159-PDF-ENG)
September 09, 2011
Case questions answered:
- Do you think customers who saw this video changed their attitude toward Domino’s Pizza?
- Which source—the rogue employees or the company’s CEO—would be more credible?
- The video included vivid, disgusting images of Domino’s products. Was a “talking head” response by the CEO the most effective counter-message? What type of message structure and/or content might the company have used instead to push back against this depiction?
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Domino's Pizza Case Answers
1. Do you think customers who saw this video changed their attitude toward Domino’s Pizza?
According to Domino’s case study, two employees of a North Carolina Domino’s store posted a YouTube video of themselves in the kitchen as they performed disgusting practices with pizza ingredients.
I think customers who saw the video of adulterated food on YouTube probably would change their attitude and perception towards Domino’s Pizza. The video was viewed nearly 1 million times and posted on various outside blogs and message boards. The customers were probably very grossed out by the acts depicted in the video.
Meanwhile, online conversations were also online related to the video incident on blogs and social media like Twitter. Once a video like this is posted on YouTube, the company’s good name will be tainted. The company’s reputation also was affected by the video.
In addition, the brand name “Domino’s” is also under attack because this video became famous and well-known by everyone. Every time a customer thinks of purchasing from Domino’s Pizza, they will remember the video. And it would happen for months ahead.
From this, the customers will not want to purchase pizza from Domino’s anymore, particularly their target market of men who watch big games in groups and want to order pizza.
According to research, 65% of respondents say they would not visit Domino’s Pizza after seeing the video. Once these twenty to forty-year-old middle-income men watch the video clip posted on YouTube, they will rather order their pizza from their competitors such as Pizza Hut and Papa John’s.
The psychographics of these men have to do with good-tasting pizza that is affordable and of decent quality. When employees are performing disgusting practices with the ingredients that are supposed to be put on a pizza, Domino’s target market and all other customers will not purchase food from there.
Other than that, the loyal customers also were…
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