Looking back on some of my favorite social media crises over the past years, I’ve noticed one very advantageous quality: a solid social media crisis plan is timeless.
Not because of the strategy itself, but because, although the platforms and the scenarios may change, one constant remains the same: we, as businesses, deal with people. And people don’t change. Trends change, ideas shift, but the classic characteristics of human beings do not. We have a need to feel connected to others, and we crave to be valued by those whom we support – brands included.
When we base our social media crisis plans on these truths and characteristics, the trends and platforms can change all they want, but our crisis communication strategies will remain timeless.
There’s one social media crisis that, through the years, has remained at the top of my mind. One that proves this theory beautifully. I’m talking about the crisis that Domino’s Pizza faced three years ago, and how both their successes and failures remain perfect learning tools for today’s companies developing their social media crisis plans.
Let’s take a look at the strategies and mistakes Domino’s Pizza implemented when they found themselves faced with a crisis-gone-viral back in April 2009. Read closely, because there are tons of take aways for you to benefit from!
Setting the stage
Back in 2009, before Domino’s Pizza ever had a social media presence, they found themselves launched into a viral attack when two employees in their Conover N.C. franchise uploaded a video to Youtube of themselves doing disgusting things to a sandwich before it went out on delivery.
As you can imagine, the video instantly went viral and Dominos Pizza was instantly launched into a full social media crisis unlike anything they could have ever imagined.
Domino’s response
They made mistakes, that’s for sure. But they also managed to launch a communication strategy that saved their brand from potential ruins. Considering that, at the time, the franchise had not yet launched their social media platforms or strategy, I’d say that the results of this crisis were close to a miracle – or at least a very good crisis communications firm who knew exactly what they were doing!
Develop a loyal following before a crisis strikes
Even though Domino’s didn’t yet have a social media presence, they were quick to be notified about the crisis thanks to their loyal fans. Had they not been notified, who knows how long it might have taken for them to detect and react to the crisis. In many ways, their loyal fans saved them.
Always release a first response
Although Domino’s immediately began to take action and correct the situation, they made the mistake of doing this behind closed doors – forgetting to let the flabbergasted public in on the serious measures they were taking to correct the wrongs that were committed. This simple silent mistake lead to additional outcries and attacks by their horrified customers who accused Dominos of ignoring the situation in hopes that it would simply disappear.
Had Dominos taken the time to say “We’re aware of the situation, we’re looking into it, and we will release a full statement once we know more”, this would have reversed all additional and unnecessary damage caused by those wondering where the heck they were throughout the crisis.
Note: A social media crisis will not go away on it’s own. It will continue to build momentum, escalating to a point beyond control.
Get your butt in gear
Once Dominos realized that the crisis was building momentum and increasing it’s viral exposure, they quickly set up a Twitter account to respond and reassure customers that this was an isolated incident and that they were in the process of taking the necessary measures to correct it. It may have come late, but once they realized their mistake, the important thing is that it came!
Leverage the powerful help of your still-loyal customers
Once they were set up with a Twitter account, they quickly posted an apology to their website, before their official statement was released. They then asked their Twitter followers to help them spread the word by retweeting the link. This helped to calm the storm until they were ready to release their official public statement.
Release an official statement
Dominos released a brilliant official response to the crisis that, in my opinion, is the very reason they were able to regain control of the crisis the way they did. Sure they suffered consequences to the brand, but not nearly as much as they could have – I mean, three years later the Dominos brand is still going strong. Within the video they:
This official statement is a true testament to what an official statement should be. Watch for yourself, and see if it doesn’t inspire new ways to strengthen your current crisis communication plan:
As you can see, Domino’s response to this massively severe crisis was so well handled that 3 years later you can still learn from both their mistakes and their successes. A crisis of this magnitude would have buried the franchise had they not responded to the attacks with such urgency, severity and humility.
Your social media crisis plan is such a vital part of your crisis communication strategy and as long as we continue to deal with human beings, it will remain timeless with only minor tweaks needed to continue to strengthen it as new platforms, strategies and expectations arise.
What did you take away from Domino’s social media crisis plan and how will it help you strengthen your company’s crisis strategy? Share your comments with me below!
Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.
