YouTube & Domino's: It Could Happen to You

Last week, Domino's had to deal with a PR nightmare when two of their employees filmed a disgusting prank and then posted it online. In a few days, the prank had circulated widely over the Internet and Domino's was dealing with a potential marketing and PR disaster.

We all understand the world's greatest intellects are not likely to be found working in the back room kitchens of places like Domino's. We also understand that every restaurant chain in America does the best they can to hire and train good people and then provide them with the tools and systems to generate consistent meals that will satisfy their customers. Lastly, we also understand that things can go wrong in those kitchens and that no system is ever going to be perfect. Mistakes can happen and, while we don't like it when they do, we can also be understanding, especially if they are dealt with in a very positive way. In fact, sometimes, dealing with a mistake in an exceptional way can create one of the most positive brand experiences possible.

What we don't understand is when idiots decide to do something incredibly stupid, record it, and then, thinking it's incredibly funny, they decide to post it on the Internet for the world to see. That's what happened to Domino's. It's bad enough that these videos get exposed so easily on places like YouTube, but they eventually generate millions of PR impressions when the story hits the newspaper and the network news programs. TV news, in particular, can't resist showing us videos like these, because they are both disgusting and fascinating at the same time. And, then it becomes a spectator sport to see how the targeted company responds.

Domino's seems to have responded quickly and well to this episode but the damage was done. What are the implications for marketers everywhere because every one of us is vulnerable to something like this? You're especially vulnerable if you manage a highly visible, familiar consumer brand like Domino's.

First, realize that YouTube can be your enemy just as much as it can be your friend. Yes, you can post your own marketing messages out there, but the images that interest people the most are not these packaged corporate communications. It's the underground "behind the scenes" scandalous images that capture attention, become viral and get widely circulated. As a marketer, you must image your worst PR nightmare and then develop a marketing and PR contingency plan to deal with it. You must be ready because if something like this occurs to your brand, its impact moves at the speed of light and you can't take days to figure out how to respond and what to do. What is the worst possible thing that could show up on YouTube that could severely damage your brand or your company? Are you ready to deal with it?

Second, shouldn't YouTube be more accountable for episodes like this? As marketers, shouldn't we be talking to the YouTubes of the world about what can be done to protect businesses from this type of damage to their reputations. Do we really think it's right that two idiot employees can have this kind of impact on a company? Is YouTube doing an adequate job policing the videos that are posted to their site?

Third, anyone who knowingly inflicts this kind of harm on a company should be legally liable for their actions. It's not enough to simply fire an employee for this kind of damage. It should be illegal. That would go a long way to discourage these malicious acts.