VIDEO PRANK AT DOMINOS

Video Prank at Dominos Taints Their Brand

Abstract

In this study, we try to explore the concept of “Video Prank at Dominos” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “Public Relations Crisis” and its relation with “Dominos”. The research also analyzes many aspects of “Public Relations Crisis” and tries to gauge its effect on Domino's. Finally the research describes various factors which are responsible for “Video Prank at Dominos” and tries to describe the overall effect of “Video Prank” on Domino's as a Brand.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

External Environment Analysis5

Political5

Economic5

Social6

Cultural6

Domino's Reputation7

Domino's Pizza Slow Response to PR Crisis Had Caused More Damage7

Public Relation Campaign8

Three Specific Reasons for This Campaign's Success10

Conclusion and Potential Solutions11

References12

Video Prank at Dominos Taints Their Brand

Introduction

Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Domino's Pizza was sold to Bain Capital in 1998 and went public in 2004(Zuber, 2009).

Domino's received an unexpected blow to their brand in April of 2009. Two Dominos' employees, Kristy Hammonds and Michael Setzer, who worked at a store in the small town of Conover, North Carolina recorded a video of the two using unsanitary and frankly disgusting means of preparing food they later delivered to customers. The video shows the employees passing gas onto a sandwich, putting cheese into their nostrils and then placing it on a sandwich, sneezing into the food, and bragging about other disgusting things they do to food. This video was leaked and went public via YouTube and Domino's reputation was immediately stained.

In response to the all of the controversy, Domino's President, Patrick Doyle released his own YouTube video. The video has been criticized because he is obviously reading from a script and he barely looks at the camera. The two employees were fired and charged with one felony count of distributing prohibited foods each. Hammonds was a registered sex offender and had other previous charges, Domino's is also being criticized for their hiring policies. They responded by stating they will be revaluating their hiring policies and will make them stricter. Domino's also has recently come out with new commercials where they respond directly to customers' complaints about their food along with commercials promoting their new, revamped menu (Boyer, 2009).

External Environment Analysis

Political

The Domino's Pizza video scandal brings to light several legal issues, food safety being among the most important. For a national chain who sells nearly 1 million pizzas each day, any food safety or health issue can be devastating. The images of employees making sandwiches and pizzas with blatant disregard to food safety standards as well as intentionally contaminating food products were a serious blow to Domino's reputation. Following the YouTube video, Domino's instituted a more stringent food safety training regimen for employees and has commented on the importance of food safety in ...