Friday, April 17, 2009

Dominos Defends Reputation Online Via Twitter & Youtube Response

Damage control via online reputation management became a top priority for Dominos (NYSE:DPZ) and its president, Patrick Doyle  after two employees posted a video of themselves defiling delivery food.

The pranksters became overnight stars on  on Youtube, and several days later, Dominos Youtube response was posted. Doyle replied with a focused and straightforward demeanor to defend the company's reputation online. The video is posted on Dominos Youtube Channel, and Dominos Twitter.

We thank members of the online community who quickly alerted us so we could take immediate action. The independent owner of that store is reeling from the damage that this has caused and it's not a surprise that this has caused a lot of damage to our brand.It sickens me that the actions of two individuals could impact our great system where 125,000  men and women work for local business owners around the US and more than 60 countries around the world.

The store has been sanitized from top to bottom. Nothing is more sacred and important than our customers' trust, and we're re-examining our hiring policies to make sure that people like this don't make it into our stores. We have auditors in our store every day of the week making sure our stores are as clean as they can possibly be and that we're delivering high quality food to our customers, day-in and day-out.

Doyle's response illustrates how damage control strategy has evolved in the Youtube Era. I asked Allen P. Adamson, the managing director at Landor and author of Brand Digital,for his take on Dominos' response. He appreciated the angle and focus of the company's message.

Youtube is very personal storytelling and the best to way to respond to it is to make it personal ,and not David vs Goliath. David is always going to be preferred, even if David is behaving badly.

A big company needs to make themselves smaller. Doyle made it personal, without a fancy suit and tie, He's not  sitting at a slick desk, and it was shot in-store. Dominos didn't respond as a big company, they responded as individuals to make it a David vs. David discussion. 

Adamson outlined the ideal response strategy for a company that encounters a PR crisis:

• Be as transparent as possible.
• Be honest.
• Move incredibly fast.
• Respond strongly, with all the tools at your disposal.

In my opinion, Dominos made its smartest move was when it shifted the focus from the corporation to the store owners and the 160,000 employees who are just trying to make a living. By emphasizing the value of individual workers and reaching-out through social networks, Dominos portrayed itself as a corporation that's in touch with the average American consumer.

By Matt O'Hern at 10:54 AM | Comments (3)

(3) Thoughts on Dominos Defends Reputation Online Via Twitter & Youtube Response

Hi, Thanks for the nice video,it is really nice, I felt that it really helpful in my future. Keep post regularly.

Comments by Web Site Design Dubai : Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 07:52 AM

If you are doing your recruiting from online job boards....this is what you'll get.

I think most people know these two idiots were the exception. Hope your brand rebounds quickly.

Comments by Penelope Alexander : Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 11:55 AM

Mr. Doyle,
Please go back to the pizza in that Me and my Family used too enjoy so well, The "OLD PIZZA" You know before all of the Yahoos complained as to making those People eat a pizza commercials. There was nothing wrong with that "OLD PIZZA", And I (WE) have had two Pizza's since the new pizza as you call it started, And we will mnever ever eat another one. There was nothing wrong with the OLD pizza in that you needed to change it! Now there is and it is awfull, We orded our useal Extrvaganza, and it was really bad, So the next one we tried it with out the sause, It was no better than the first new one, So we now make our own at home and it is really better than what oyu have to offer. """BUT""" If you we're to go back to the old style again and tell the People on the TV Cermercaial that because of the new pizza you have lost well over 100,000 Cusomers, We now offer the """OLD pizza""" back again too our old customers, And the new for the New People,We will go back to buying it again, But we will not buy another "SO CALLED NEW PIZZA" Thank you...
jimmie Texas...

Sorry for the misspelled words...

Comments by Jimmie : Friday, September 17, 2010 at 06:34 PM

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