OOPS

Several weeks ago I wrote about KFC offering free college tuition to any new parents that named their baby Harland, after their founder. I still haven’t heard the results yet, even called the company to see what they could tell me about the promotion. Well now Domino’s Pizza has had to call off a promotion in Russia that offered 100 free pizzas per year for 100 years to fans who agreed to get a tattoo of the brand’s logo and share it on social media. Why, because over 350 Russians got the logo tattoo and qualified for the free pizza.

Spiker Insights

That consumers would go to such permanent lengths for free pizza for life could be an indication that Dominos has some serious fans in Russia; or that tattoos are not a big deal for some, but certainly 100 free pizzas a year for life certainly is.  Most of Dominos and KFC is an indication of how brands can take their marketing stunts a little too far and possibly harm a brand’s reputation − an important lesson as brands appear to be less risk-averse in an era when consumers are very interested in viral social media content. This tattoo promotion may have boosted social media engagement, but the franchise could also take a major hit with having to serve so many pizzas, not to mention the bad will of pulling out of the promotion altogether. Be careful with what you wish for is the lesson here.