Domino’s reflects on weeklong scramble to defend its reputation

Having lagged initially on vile viral video, response team details its resurgence — and lessons learned.

Having lagged initially on vile viral video, response team details its resurgence — and lessons learned

After a gross-out video depicting Domino’s kitchen workers went viral on YouTube and within the online community last week, the pizza company was in danger of having serious and lasting harm done to its brand.

Domino’s representatives, speaking at Ragan Communications’ social media boot camp on Tuesday, said the company’s overall crisis plan, despite a slow initial response, successfully negated the adverse publicity.

“But we’ll need to make adjustments for it, regarding social media space and the social media world,” says Phil Lozen, Domino’s Web design specialist. Part of the problem was that Domino’s underestimated the flash-fire aspect of Twitter, Facebook, and the like.

Social media expert Shel Holtz agrees: “The principles of crisis communication have always been the same,” Holtz says. “But now, everything has changed—especially when it comes to dealing with how quickly a crisis can unfold.”

Holtz says Domino’s didn’t think the YouTube clip, depicting two staffers doing vile things with ingredients, would be of interest to the mainstream media. It was wrong. Very wrong.

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