Using the same social media tools that harmed them earlier this week (regarding the “Disgusting Domino’s People” YouTube video), Domino’s is fighting to earn back the public’s trust via YouTube and Twitter.
Here’s a video from Patrick Doyle, President, Domino’s U.S.A., responding to “video of (now former) Domino’s team members.” The original “disgusting video” is no longer available on YouTube due to a copyright claim from Kristy Hammonds Thompson. The offending and offensive former employees have been arrested and are facing charges.
UPDATE (April 16, 10:20 a.m.) Though Doyle’s apology sounds sincere and I believe it is sincere, I do have to wonder what he was looking at during the filming of the video. A TelePrompTer, perhaps? Eye contact with his audience, like David Neelman’s in his Jet Blue apology video from two years ago, goes a long way to help us relate better. (Thanks to Scott Monty for suggesting a comparison of the two video apologies.)
And earlier in the day yesterday, I discovered this tweet from @dpzinfo, the official Domino’s corporate Twitter account:
Now, if only Domino’s can regain the Twitter accounts of @dominos and @dominospizza; both of those accounts have apparently been twittersquatted.
DISCLOSURE: I worked at a Domino’s franchise in Auburn, AL, while I was in college.
From a film standpoint, that was not handled properly — it sounds like the President giving a sober State of the Union address. Mind you, he shouldn’t dismiss the gravity of the incident, but I believe that this kind of message needs to at least give the portrayal of emotional sincerity, not scripted corporatism.
It was certainly a slow start for their PR team but it looks like they are now on top of the issue. Interesting that they are allowing an open discussion on their Facebook page with more than 280,000 fans. The majority are positive/supportive posts, but there are others calling Dominos ‘pathetic’ and telling them that an apology isn’t going to get their business back. Creating an open forum for discussion is refreshing. It shows me they are willing to take the critisism and aren’t trying to hide the blowback.
I think that they are doing their best to make things better for their company. Domino’s will still be eaten and enjoyed by tons of people. The people who put out the first video really are disgusting in my opinion and should never be able to work in the food undustry again.