Company boasts about new deal, but is caught out in the domino effect
The Australian pizza chain became the latest brand to fall foul of netizens, after its week-long social media campaign about a major revamp was revealed to be the introduction of new premium toppings and square bases.
"Get ready for our biggest announcement in 20 years #gamechanger," a banner on Domino's Facebook page said. "You've demanded change and we've pushed ourselves to respond," chief executive Don Meij said.
But the response on social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube was less enthusiastic about the promotion, which will be officially launched today.
"You had us on the edge of our seats for this?" one Facebook user wrote on the company's page.
"This is not a game changer, what a waste of my time," another wrote. Others complained that their comments were deleted.
On YouTube, the commentary from users about their disappointment with the hype were just as crusty.
"Really? That's it? After 20 years, that's the biggest announcement you have to make?" one viewer wrote.
James Griffin, of consultancy SR7, said the game changer was the way in which social media now gave consumers an opportunity to respond publicly and directly to brand campaigns.
While Domino's announcement could have worked well as a physical or traditional marketing campaign, "there's been a shift in the way consumers now interact with brands", he said.
"When you involve social media, you're allowing the consumer to talk back, and you simply can't manage or manufacture what the consumers are going to say. So there's a degree of risk in any modern marketing campaign when it comes to social media."
Phil McDonald, the Brisbane managing director of advertising agency George Patterson Y&R, said the fallout was another example of the consumer being in control. "Marketers own the brand but they aren't always in control," he said. "When you're in control, you can run the traditional teaser campaign and things that interest you are going to be more relevant, but when the consumer's in control, that's not the case.
"If you are going to tell consumers that you are going to do something really good in this day and age, their expectations are high and when you don't meet the expectations ... you're going to get negative fallout very quickly."
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Domino's ran a week-long teaser on social media calling it the biggest announcement in 20 years, but the reveal was simply new premium toppings and square pizza bases. The mismatch between the hype and the actual news prompted a strong negative response online.
Users on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube expressed disappointment and mocked the hype. Many comments called the promotion a waste of time, some said they were misled, and others complained that their comments were deleted.
Experts quoted in the article said the campaign backfired because social media gives consumers a public way to talk back. When brands involve social channels, they can’t fully control or manufacture responses, so high expectations that aren’t met can trigger rapid negative fallout.
The Domino's case highlights that social media can amplify consumer reaction and create reputational risk quickly. For investors, it shows that marketing missteps on social platforms can lead to visible consumer backlash and potential brand damage in a short time.
According to the article, the announcement might have worked better as a physical or traditional marketing campaign. Experts said the shift in how consumers interact with brands means teaser campaigns on social media carry more risk because consumers now control much of the public conversation.
Investors should monitor public consumer sentiment on channels named in the article—Facebook, Twitter and YouTube—look for sustained negative commentary, complaints about deleted comments, and expert or media coverage that highlights a loss of consumer trust.
Commentators said there’s been a shift: consumers now have the power to respond publicly and directly to brand campaigns. Marketers may own the brand but aren’t always in control, and when consumers’ expectations aren’t met, negative fallout can happen very quickly.
The practical lesson is that social media campaigns raise expectations and allow immediate public feedback. Companies need to consider that involving social channels introduces risk they can’t fully manage, and investors should factor in the possibility of fast-moving reputation issues when assessing brands.
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