Back in January of 2010 Domino’s® Pizza launched a new ad campaign for its new pizza recipe and heavily promoted the campaign using the domain name PizzaTurnAround.com . I wrote about the goods and bad’s that I thought about the campaign and the site they were using.
One of the biggest things that I thought was not good for Domino’s, was they were allowing comments on "blog posts" they were posting on the site with updates and further promoting. There were huge amounts of comments by customers but a large portion were negative. In one way, it is good for Domino’s to allow the comments because it is showing transparency but on the other hand… all the negative comments do not look good for the company! Comments can be over valued and it is also more likely for somebody to comment if they had a negative experience.
I give them props because they are still allowing comments on the articles at PizzaTurnAround.com in each article they post. Still a good deal of negative comments and some positive comments as well.
On March 30, 2010 Domino’s hand registered a couple new domain names to work off of the first ad campaign. This time around the ad would focus on those people who have yet to try the new pizza! You know, the tire kickers or as Domino’s puts it… the Pizza Holdouts!
Domino’s is using the make sense domain name to match the ad campaign’s main message with PizzaHoldouts.com. The site is very similar to the PizzaTurnAround.com site, but putting focus on people who have not tired the new pizza. The site is very simple but strongly to the point! A YouTube video is shown at the top with an extended version of the TV commercial Domino’s is running which shows direct marketing at specific people who have yet to try the new Domino’s pizza.
Below the video is two sections. "Become a Taste Bud Bounty Hunter" which is a social media connection with Twitter and Facebook. The second section is "Don’t Be a Pizza Holdout" which offers 2 medium 2 topping pizzas for $5.99 each with an order button which cross promotes and directs to Dominos.com .
Domino’s did a nice job on this site IMO! Short and sweet and directly to the point. Nice connect with social media and nice cross promotion between microsite to main site with the order button! The domain name makes sense with the ad campaign and they also purchased the singular version PizzaHoldout.com to cover any typo traffic.
Although Domino’s did purchase the typo PizzaHoldout.com, they didn’t do anything with it currently and simply doesn’t resolve, which is a big mistake! Doing a 301 redirect (forwarding) the traffic takes two seconds and is very simple to do. This is upsetting to me because they were wise enough to purchase the typo domain but then do nothing with it!
A second problem that I see. The domain names were only purchased a little over a week ago on 3-30-2010. They launched the TV ads pretty quickly since registering the domain names and getting the site up but this leaves little to no time for the sites to get indexed in search engines for those who "search for" the site. It is always best to launch the site a month or two before running the ad. This will allow some time for search engines to start indexing the site, as your goal is to be at the top for your main message in the ad so those people can find you as well. Direct Navigation is one form of traffic and search engines (links) is another form. It is important to cover both!
jill jerram
I tried your pizza 5 years ago. delivery of the pizza took over an hour by the time i got the pizza it was cold,hard ,dry and un eatable.And Iwas so dicussed I dident eat pizza for 6 months.And even then it had to be take out so I knew it was fresh&hot.to this day I will not eat dryminos…
Dominick DellaRipa IV
Tried your new pizza when it first came out at local Domino shop. Much improved and 2 for 599 gave me a selection at reasonable price.
Went back couple weeks later no more 2/599 and the pizza was worse than before! Sause put on with eye droppeer and needed Hubble Telescope to find the meat! Tasted like old shoe.
Angee Gainey
I live maybe 3 blocks form dominos and they wont deliver to my neighborhood. So I walked up to order my pizzas was told it would take 45 mins to recieve so I waited I watched the cashier and cook go out and smoke and then come back in and handle money…. and then touch my pizza. What I didnt see was hands washed one time. I didnt eat the pizza I just walked out it was enough to remind me why I dont eat Dominos pizza.
jeff siedschlag
I’m not sure I’d like to try cardboard coated with ragu sauce.Especially on my dime! Maybe when pigs fly.
Abdul-Raheem Hasan
When my family and I order pizza, we don’t even mention Domino’s in the “real pizza” conversation. It is Pizza Hut or Papa John’s. I have the same complaints as many others do about Domino’s pizza. The sauce tastes like spoiled tomato’s and the crust stretches like bubble gum. However, I do think that the customer service has improved since the national “nasty girl at Domino’s” commercials. Until I taste the “NEW” pizza I don’t think that I would pay for Domino’s pizza.
Stephanie Grant
I can’t even tell Domino’s when the last time I even ate one of their pizzas. For the simple reason when I would order one for some reason it all ways smelled and taste like an old rag, the kind they use to clean the counters. Even though they say that their pizzas are new and improved I am afraid it would taste the same.
chris collier
I haven’t ordered Domino’s pizza in sometime, and after last night it’s going to be a while before I do again. The Domino’s Philly Chesse Steak was my familys favorite pizza. So last night we call the local Domino’s and ordered two larges for dinner. I was told it should take about 30 minutes. The delivery guy showed up 40 minutes later not to bad until he opened his carrier and he didn’t have both our pizzas. So he left the “philly” for us to eat and said that he’d go back to the store and get our other pizza. The first thing we noticed when the pizza came into the house was a strong smell of garlic. After openning the box and looking at the “Philly Chesse Steak pizza”, it sure don’t look like a Philly, and it sure didn’t taste like a Philly. There was barely any meat on it and what meat there was, was cut very very thinlly alot pieces of brown paper and tasted about as good. There was no onions or peppers like the old “philly”. About 30 minutes later the delivery guy shows up with our other pizza and states ok that be $23.90. That was full price, so guess how soon it’ll be before I order another pizza from Domino’s?
Thomas
My father had bought a pizza sometime last year that tasted like cardboard. We are also interested to see if you now have a better taste than Pizza Hut or Papa Johns. Were interested in your pizza to see if it is better that your competitors.
Haines City Florida Holdouts
Karen Poyner
My husband, Michael, has never tried Dominos Pizza. He just has not really wanted to try it. Please come to our area and make him try your pizza. Karen
Ed Cox
The last time I ordered Domino’s pizza was over 10 years ago!! It was garbage and both me and my girlfriend got food poisoning from it!! Since then my motto has been GET THE GUN if its DOmino’s!! Nowadays its Pizza Hut or nothing for me and my family!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jamie Zoch
@Chris,
I would have told him to keep the second pizza and gave him about $6 for the first one! Customer service and providing a good product is very important, clearly it didn’t happen with your order! I would not have been happen being charged full price. Not really the drivers fault but something the store should consider a bad practice.
candy evans
I used to love your pizza. I ordered at least 2-4 per month. then you changed to what it is now. it is terrible. the sauce is to spicy and ruins the whole thing. I have talked to several friends and they agree. we now order pappa johns. it was always a tossup before, but yours is not even in the race now. too bad. they was good.
Andy Napoli
I have eaten your new pizza and the crust is still no good. The way you bake the pizza maybe why. A pizza oven or brick oven gives the pizza a different taste. The system you use is no good. To much of something in the crust and not much flavor of the sauce. Should have gotten my money back. Papa Johon’s has a better flavor pizza. Also customer service not the greatest as workers doing more talking then anything and then trying to figure out who is going to deliver pizzas. This happened in North Syracuse N.Y.
mario martinez
I order and ate your pizza about 3years ago. Ica tell you that I have not order another pizza from domino’s. My wife told me that day to never order pizza from there
kathleen fisher
I love pizza. So I did not bother me to try Domino’s, BUT once I did it was the WORST pizza I have put in my mouth. I get better service and better pizza at, PAPA JOHON’S. The worst crust, sauce, cheese, and service I EVER HAD…
RENEE MICHAUD
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE NOT HAD YOUR PIZZA IN MANY YEARS. LAST TIME WE HAD ONE IT WAS JUST NOT ANY GOOD, IT HAD NO TASTE WHAT SO EVER. WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT THEY WERE GOOD BUT THEN WENT DOWN HILL. SO WE STOPPED EATING THEM WOULD LOVE TO TRY THEM AGAIN
William halt
I can’t eat yyour Pizza becuase of the Corn Meal that you put on the bottom of the crust. I have worked for Pizza Hut over 40 years ago and we never put corn meal on the bottom of the crust. It is not need and it onlt makes your crust taste like cardboard I now order from Pizza hut, Morty’s Pizza in New Prt Richey Fl. They might as well lock the doors on Pizza Hut until you all can find a way to make the Best Pizza anywhere in the US. Domino’s SUCKS BIG TIME, give up the New Ad it’s not Working.
Dorothy Mathews
On a trip and stopped at motel for the night in Victorville, Ca. Ordered a domino pizza and i would have preferred chewing on my shoe, didnt eat more than two bites, horrible pizza
Neil Mullen
I ordered a special advertised pizza from the local domino’s. It was one of the worst pizza that I have tried to eat. There was 2 to 3 inches of just crust all arount the pizza, it was cold and have very little meat on it. Sorry we are no longer a customer of domino’s.
dana
Crap 20 years ago, crap 10 years ago, crap today, and it will be crap 10 years from now. No matter how you market it, put ribbons and bows on it; it is still a box of crap!
ciara shepard
last time we orded dominos pizza nobody ate it the vegies were dried out.The whole pizza was greasey and the crust was soggy.Evan thogh I hold a cared which will allow me to buy one get one free I choose to buy my pizza somewhere els.
robert trautwein
new pizza is great but you need to add a thin
crust
robert trautwein
those who do not like your pizza have a hard time spelling
sally schell goleski
i tried dominos in bourbonais illinois about 2 years ago and it was horrible also tha cheese wasnt even good mozzarella it had no string to it even when hot i havent tried it since but i went to order it about 6 months ago and when i called and they are 2 blocks from my house i was told that they would not deliver to me because i was calling from a cell phone so i called poppa johns and they were happy and on time and thier pizza was great oh well to bad 4 dominos hello pappa johns
Maxine Holmes
I tried Dominos pizza once and I will never try it again. I thought that frozen pizza was bad. The crust and sauce was as bad as a frozen pizza, The best pizza is from Mighty Good pizza in Conway,Michigan. I wouldn’t feed my dog a Dominos pizza.I don’t know how anyone would eat one
Pat Fleming
We had eaten your pizza years ago. It was OK, but Pizza Hut was better. Sorry to say that living on a retirement income I can’t afford to make a mistake on my purchases. So I KNOW pizza hut is good. I can’t waste my money on a maybe thing. Sorry
Genda
Well Im in my 60 and have never tried your Pizza-mabey one of these days -dont know why I haven’t cuz I love a good pizza
Chuck Driskill
Last time I had a Domino’s was probably (at least) 30 years ago. It was so bad we thru it out and ate the carton it came in…..
brandi j
I don’t remember ever eating your pizza…and I still haven’t tried it. So…I have nothing bad to say.
garrett brown
Hi. The reason why I haven’t tried your pizza is because I’ve grown up on Ledos which is the best. Ledo’s has deliciously tasty bread and sauce. Another is Pizza Hut, they have a lot of meat and vegetables that you can see on the pizza. When I first saw pizza from Dominos I couldn’t see the bacon and onions that was suppose to be on it. So after that I made a promise to my self that I would rather eat Papa Johns, than Dominos.
david r bowser
I have opened two Pizza huts in my culinary career.However ,my heart has always belonged to dominoes.I;ve always loved the old recipe but the dominoes in my town closed down.I would love to try the new recipe but have no way of doing so. Please Help Me,sincerely,David R.Bowser[thanx]
Robert
Tried your new pizza, WAS NOT IMPRESSED. Also I found out about an additional $1.95 delivery charge. I left a message for the owner of DesertDough Inc. Refused to call me back and explain why the charge, because the store Manager was very rude when I questioned him about the charge. I will drive an hour to give someone else my business. And I make certain to tell others about the extra charges that are not explained. Times are tough for everyone, And I think they will be tougher for Domino’s!
robert piunno
I have not tried the new pizza yet. Because it can’t compare with private pizza companies.
Carlene Say
The last time I had one of your pizza’s was back in 1992 when I lived in Va. It use to be good and we ordered one about every week. But then someone changed the sauce and it was like eatting Tomato Sauce with no seasonings. We thought it wa a mistake so we ordered one more time and it was the same. So we never bought one of pizza’s again,
I’ve bought other competitors pizza’s and also store pizza’s but never yours. I didn’t want a mouth full of tomato sauce. I’m still afraid to try your pizza even though you claim you’ve changed it and it’s now better! Your store is just down the street but I just don’t pick up the phone and order from them!!!!!!!! So you lost 18 years of my buisness because someone did something to the sauce!
Scott
I have not tried Domino’s new pizza. It tasted like the box when I ordered it on weekends, while stationed at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS, in 1982-83. It was even worse, when I was stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ (1983-1987). The last time I ordered from Domino’s was sometime in 2003, when you were cutting round pizzas into stupid little squares. It still tasted like the box it arrived in. So, I don’t care if you new pizza renditions taste like “manna from Heaven”. The fact that it took you retards almost 30 years to get the hint your pizzas taste like cardboard and that’s the “nicest” thing that I can think to say about your products. And I do not post my true email address to any pizza place because I do not accept HTML-based emails and don’t want pizza SPAM in my “in-box”. IF I want pizza, I order it. Spam email to try to convince me that “now” is a good time to order some special is one way to guarantee that I will never do business with a company.
nobody
i tried the new pizza last night it still sucks. i have to admit it is better than the old ones
Alton Smith
I have not eaten Dominos Pizza in A few years now, I always thought that the red sauce that you used was nasty and the crust was dry and hard and sometimes burnt, so I started to order my Pizza with Papa Johns.
Bob Szitas
The only time that I have been able to eat your pies, has been at poker night with my buds, & a lot of Crown & shots of tequlia, long before the delivery arrive, which was always late, and cold. Even loaded I was never impressed!
I have not had a Domino’s pizza for alomost 6 years, and every time I am at a party & your pies are on the menu, “I DON’T EAT”. Chips & dip for me baby!
You would really have had to make some serious changes too your crust, the sauce, better cheese, & other ingredients for me to ever be tempted to put out some hard earned cash to try one.
In these tuff times, I hope your pizza is better, as it helps to keep a lot of folks empolyed.
But sorry guys, to many bad memoriers for me to make the change from pies I like.
Ross Isaacson
Went to the NEW yet NOT IMPROVED shop in Peyton, Colorado when it opened. SAME old pizza I had delivered for 2 years in Colorado Springs. The new SANDWICHES are nothing but pizza on bread. Whenever Dominos comes out with a new “TASTY PRODUCT” its only their same old boring, no taste sauce made in a different way! Most national franchises come out with a NEW PRODUCT, with NEW INGREDIENTS. Not you tho. Its only MARKETING without imagination. A NO FRILLS approach to marketing the same boring ingredients. a MOM AND POP place is doing MUCH better in this area. Come on Guys. My brother took your FOUNDER on a Hot Air Balloon Ride here in Colorado Springs many yrs agao. I suppose he hasnt changed either. But still trying to keep up with the rest of the market in saving a buck.
May 30th, 2010
I’m 66 years old and never had a Domino’s Pizza. Our family tested many a pizza before my father and his brother started the “we make and you bake” pizza business back in the early 60′s. Sold out a few years ago but still going strong under the same name… “Orv’s Pizza”. So I never had a reason or opportunity for a Domino’s pizza. I never had a reason or opportunity for a real vacation either but I’m not dead yet! Mary Kiley
Audrey
I don’t thinnk Domino’s should not FORCE people to try their pizza. This is a free country and NOBODY should be forced to do ANYTHING. I don’t really like Domino’s I prefer Pizza Hut or Papa Johns. I bet Domino’s is paying people to do this and they are only doing this for costumers. Also, they are paying people to do this and making people do things. Plus, you could order Domino’s pizza and when you try it it could be gross. I am not trying to make Domino’s ma.d but this is how I feel and what I think. Besides this is America and we have the right to freedom of speech. That is how I feel.
LEE MEDEIROS
ITS GRAET THAT YOU HAVE MADE CHANGES TO MAKE YOUR PIZZA BETTER,HOWEVER,WHY ARE YOU FORCING PEOPLE TO BUY TWO PIZZAS. I WANT TO TRY YOUR PIZZA AGAIN BUT WILL NOT BUY TWO.I THINK MOST PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME.WHY NOT SELL ONE AT A REASONABLE PRICE THAK YOU
JULES BROUSSARD
i tried domino’s pizza a few years back. something in the sauce gave me such severe heartburn, i never went back. since then i have been buying frozen pizza and had very good luck with the kind of sauce they use. i guess that maybe domino’s could sneak a peak at the sauce the frozen industry uses. until then, i wish you the best. i will be a strong hold out until the sauce is changed. sorry.
Chris
I think that pizza hut is the best ever and will always be tgeB-) I mean the besta
t making pizza buu that is my opinion
Brent Bean
I’m 31 going on to 32 and ever since i tried Domino’s pizza in Juneau AK I never like the pizza from there , it taseted like rubber . So ever since I never order from Domino’s agin. I live in Anchorage AK now. So good luck tring to change my mind.
william calvert
Had not had Dumino’s fr several years. Back then it was dry crust with almost no toppings. Their improved pizza is no better. Frozen is better. Now I get Pappa mur—y’s. Takes a little while to bake when I get home, but it has a lot of topping and isn’t dry and cold.
berna
i have nevered tried thre stupid new pizza i bet its nasty im berna and im a pizza hold out. and i live in tucson
nick webb
I went to dominos and went to go wash me hands and one of the cooks went in thereand went pee and just lift with out washing his hands and i just lift the place i said to my self that i will never eat that pizza again.
sierra lagasse
my anunt diane perry is a hold out she has never in her life had dominos i think its time dont u