Does Domino's New Formula Risk a "New Coke" Backlash?

Consider this. As bad as Domino's new campaign claims its pizza is, it seemed to have served the tastes of millions upon millions of pizza eaters over the last fourty-four years the company has been in existence. Hmmm.

Sure, in the spirit of "new marketing" we respect and applaud the transparency, openness and honesty of their new campaign, and the effort to improve their product. On the other hand, was it really necessary? Or even the right thing to do?

Frankly, I never thought the crust tasted like cardboard, or that the pie tasted that bad. Domino's is sort of like White Castle or Taco Bell. It's top of mind when your brain's not working perfectly... one of those products you enjoy after a few too many cocktails. At that point, anything tastes great. In other words, it has its niche.

We don't know for sure, but I'm betting they had to throw out hundreds of interviews where the folks said, "I love it just the way it is."

All of us who love pizza have a favorite we go to when we're sober. Usually a local purveyor of authentic Italian goodness. But when we're in a supreme hurry, or just plain buzzed, Domino's is an acceptable go-to substitute.

Coke's effort to "improve" their product backfired big time. Does Domino's risk the same? You don't grow to become a gigantic, appetite-satisfying company by producing a product everybody hates. What about all those folks who liked it just the way it was? Cardboard crust and all. Only time will tell.

I'm just saying. Just throwing it out there for consideration. What do you think?

Comments

[Steeb]

This is an interesting marketing campaign Russ,
What I'm not clear about is how did their pizza start tasting like cardboard and why? Was it a gradual thing, or did it happen over night? Was it a hex? Maybe it was from an earlier attempt to improve the taste - that wasn't publicized?(thankfully) Something must've been broken. The taste buds of the people who bought the pizza didn't just arbitrarily change - it had to be the composition of the pizza that changed, right? Or was it that all the chefs and pizza preparers were asleep at the wheel? (By the way, was anyone fired for the cardboard ingredients?) I wonder how much it actually changed - it's not like Coke where you could go back and find the previous version and have your own taste test. "Hey Mom, do you have any of that Domino's pizza leftover from last summer?"
Whatever the cause, it's reassuring to know that a good, hard-working Domino's marketing campaign can actually improve the flavor and bring back unhappy customers.

[Gene Brady]

That does it, Phil. I'm ending my 5-year Domino's hiatus and ordering one of your pizzas tonight. Stone sober, too.

I have to experience what your 'inspired, new pizza' tastes like, since you beat Papa John's and Pizza Hut in a blind taste test. Your marketing was inspired, will your pizza be too?

[Russ]

Thanks for the comment Phil. Like I said, just something that occurred to me to throw out there. Taste is a fickle friend, and there is no question that a lot of people enjoyed the prior product or we wouldn't be having this discussion. BTW, we actually ordered from Domino's the other night to check it out. Pretty good. Definitely better than Little Caesar's.

[Gene Brady]

"When you're high or hungover - call Domino's".

"Taste is over-rated - try Domino's".

You may be on to something. But then again, I was in the 'cardboard' camp. Their pizza was my choice of last resort. Never first. It was only when I was partying hard and couldn't remember the name of any other pizza place. Then I'd call.....hey....you're right!

[Phil]

Hey guys,

Phil from Domino's here. First, thanks for the great post. As far as the Coke references, our incoming CEO makes a great point about this. Coke redid its flavor at a time when it was already the taste leader.

While we certainly had people who liked our previous pizza, the majority of customers had told us that we were behind our competitors in flavor. Coke was in first when they changed. We weren't.

Take a look at our recent news, we beat our competitors in a blind taste test: http://www.annarborbiznews.com/2010/02/03/dominos-inspired-new-pizza-scores-big-win-against-papa-johns-pizza-hut-in-national-taste-test/

Thanks again, and have a great day.

[Greg]

You have a point, Russ.

However, as a non-Dominos regular, I would not have been convinced to re-try their pizza if 1. They just left it the way it was (there was a reason I stopped ordering it long ago -- better tasting pizza). 2. They said they had improved the taste all on their own (No reason to believe that the changes they made actually resulted in a better pizza). By showing that they were responding to customer criticism, I feel that there is a good chance they have improved the parts of the pizza that I also didn't care for (not just the parts that they, as a corporation, decided to arbitrarily change).

Plus look at all the free advertising (just saw a two minute commentary on the stock channel) as well as blogs (like this one) and word-of-mouth that this bold campaign is generating. And boy, Dominos HOPES they have alienated their regulars. Then they would get the benefit of of the publicity as people were talking/demanding/protesting that the old recipe be brought back (like the new/old Coke debate.) You just can't buy attention like that...or I guess you can.