The Domino’s Pizza prank that hit YouTube this week, showing two 30 year olds snotting up some pizzas, points to the need for stronger, not weaker, brand management in today’s digital world. I’ve been ranting a little lately about ceding control of brands to consumers, the result of heightened attention (by consumers and marketers) to social media, and this example explains why. When the video hit the ether and Domino’s became aware, someone said “Let’s wait and see if it dies down.” Mistake.
Good brand management dictates something needs to be done immediately. Take control of the facts. Take control of the dialogue. Take control of the brand. It seems the right things were done by Dominos, but they were just done too late — in days not hours. No longer do the PR people need “go bags” filled with tooth brushes and clean business wear, they need a tripod, digital video camera and a videographer. And they need some online warriors who can begin to turn the negatives into positives – 24 X 7.
As Zack de la Rocha says, you’ve “Got to take the power back.” Brands and brand-negative events need to be managed. In the digital world they need to be managed quickly. Peace!
