The Domino’s effect: The potential danger of ignoring social media

Hoax or not, a vile viral video has sullied the pizza maker’s name. Is Twitter the way to reverse the damage? Or is it too little too late?

In just a few hours, Domino’s went from pizza to toast.

By now, you’ve probably seen the viral video spreading around YouTube and Twitter, featuring Domino’s employees who do really nasty things to cheese and meat toppings for a submarine sandwich. After the sandwich is complete, an employee says the food will be served to a customer within five minutes. Forget serving it with a Pepsi. Bring us some ipecac syrup.

Blindsided and unprepared, Domino’s quickly became the latest victim of inertia on social media. It has plenty of company—just ask the reps at Motrin or Amazon.

If you still doubt the power of social media, here’s how the video went viral, and how some exceedingly negative buzz coursed through the Web, threatening the company’s 50-year-old brand:

YouTube