Product & Pricing · Global · 2009
Domino’s: The Pizza Turnaround
Domino’s admitted its pizza wasn’t good, changed the recipe, and put customers’ complaints in its ads.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readCrispin Porter + BoguskyMarket & Growth · Campaigns · UI/UX Design
- Brand
- Domino’s
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2009
- Category
- Product & Pricing
- Agency or team
- Crispin Porter + Bogusky
- Channels
- TV, digital, documentary
The context
Customer surveys ranked Domino’s pizza near the bottom on taste. Fast delivery wasn’t enough.
Customers thought the pizza was bad.
The move
Domino’s rebuilt the recipe and launched “Pizza Turnaround”, a documentary-style campaign showing executives reading harsh feedback and promising change.
How it was executed
- Admitted the flaws publicly.
- Changed the recipe.
- Showed real customer feedback.
Domino’s admitted its pizza wasn’t good, changed the recipe, and put customers’ complaints in its ads.
What happened Reported facts
Domino’s reported a 14.3% rise in US same-store sales in the first quarter of 2010, one of the largest jumps in the industry’s history, and the start of a long recovery that also included the Pizza Tracker.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Honesty backed by real change worked.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Fix the product before you market it.
- 02Admitting a flaw can be the most persuasive message.
- 03Transparency works when it’s backed by change.
Indian brands can admit and fix product issues openly.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Domino’s Pizza Inc. Q1 2010 results. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Domino’s.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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