Domino's Pizza targets startup companies with latest marketing campaign
Domino's is headquarted at Domino's Farms in Ann Arbor Township.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
That’s the message at the center of the Ann Arbor Township-based company’s latest marketing campaign, which targets the entrepreneurs behind U.S. startup companies.
“Without pizza, school projects and music albums might go unfinished. Startups, unstarted. …No one’s coming up with a world-changing idea over halibut. No way. It has always been pizza,” a new Domino’s television ad spot says.
The company plans to make “pizzavestments” in 30 U.S. startup companies by offering them a $500 Domino’s Pizza gift card.
In addition, Domino’s will offer gift cards and other perks directly to individuals who contribute toward select projects on crowdfunding website Indiegogo.
"No one knows the power and possibility of a great idea more than Domino's, having been the ones that truly revolutionized pizza delivery over fifty years ago," said Russell Weiner, Domino's Pizza chief marketing officer, in a statement. "Gatherings that create great ideas often include pizza — and we want to do what we can to fuel the next revolutionary concept that will also continue to be celebrated fifty years from now."
On July 23, Domino’s Pizza Inc. reported its second-quarter profit rose 19 percent with the growth of sales in existing stores and the opening of 101 new locations outside of the U.S.The company reported a net income of $112.4 million in 2012, compared to $105.4 million in 2011.
Watch the new ad spot below.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
brian
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 3:28 a.m.
Dominos should focus on making a pizza like they were made back in the 70's. Pizza today is terrible. I make my own and it is pretty darn good. todays pizza is dry, freaking dry. Anyone who loves a good pizza should hate most pizzerias these days. The best pizza i have had was in the late 60's in south carolina, second best was Dino's in Ypsilanti in the 70's. Pizza to sukks.
arborani
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 2:28 a.m.
Wonder what the "selected projects" on the Indiegogo site might be.
snark12
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 8:53 p.m.
This is a really smart campaign, I think, and a great way to reach out to the younger customers (not that I imagine they have a lot of problems selling them pizza anyway). Domino's seems to really be operating on all cylinders lately. I don't actually eat the stuff so I can't comment on the taste.
spaghettimonsters
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 6:03 p.m.
It's my hope that young customers 1) have some taste (literally) and avoid mass-produced fast food altogether, and 2) recall the right-wing blunders of both Domino's and Papa Johns CEOs before giving them money. This doesn't mean young, responsible people can't patronize such companies at all (a company is more than its [former] CEOs, after all), but it would be far better for them to buy from smaller businesses next door. You want to grow your business? Help the guy next door do the same!
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 7:48 p.m.
This is a great marketing concept and I hope it gets some traction. Being the "official" pizza supplier to startups and entrepreneureal meetups should be money very well spent.
Lizzy Alfs
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 7:57 p.m.
It is pretty interesting. And the whole 'pizza is behind innovation' thing is true, I think. It's funny to think about how many late night pizzas were probably ordered when major companies were just taking shape in basements.