Russell J. Weiner is Chief Advertising Officer for Domino’s Pizza. Previously Pepsi’s Vice President of Advertising, Colas, Weiner has been named considered one of Brandweek’s High 10 Entrepreneurs of the Subsequent Era. Domino’s has 5,047 U.S.-based shops and three,726 worldwide places. The corporate’s progress in recent times has come abroad, whereas home shops have struggled.
PT: Are you able to evaluate and distinction what it’s prefer to work for Domino’s and Pepsi?
RW: They’re very totally different. While you work for an organization with quite a lot of manufacturers versus an organization that’s singularly centered on one model … every part we do once we get up each single day is concentrate on Domino’s Pizza. However there actually are quite a lot of similarities if you concentrate on it. The family penetration of soda may be very excessive, and the family penetration of pizza may be very excessive. In a approach, every firm makes its enterprise making an attempt to insulate losses in sure areas of the enterprise and making an attempt to develop in others. I feel 2009 shall be an excellent 12 months for Domino’s.
PT: What attracted you to Domino’s?
RW: Domino’s is among the few QSR manufacturers that’s an actual thrilling model. I take into account myself a model man. I get actual excited concerning the manufacturers I work on. There’s one thing concerning the Domino’s model and the 49 years it’s been round. I’m getting right into a model with a wealthy historical past and that’s lucky sufficient to work with one of many premier advert companies.
PT: You’ve most likely seemed again at Domino’s previous advertising efforts, each good and dangerous. Fudgems wasn’t a excessive level. What measures will you are taking to make sure one thing like that isn’t repeated in your watch?
RW: We’re going to be very data-focused right here. We’re not going to place out a foul product — and I’m not saying it was a foul product; I wasn’t right here then — as a result of we gained’t launch a product if the info doesn’t assist it. I’m an actual stickler with regards to analysis. We’re going to deal with every part going ahead as if it’s a everlasting menu product.
PT: You most likely can’t disclose any product launches for the time being, however is there something you suppose goes to do notably nicely that you may speak about?
RW: I really feel assured every part we’re going to do in 2009 goes to do nicely. We’re doing a number of the identical sort of pondering that was completed behind sandwiches … incremental objects to drive gross sales.
PT: Do you work together with franchisees a lot to get their enter on promoting initiatives?
RW: The perfect a part of my job is speaking with the franchisees. I really feel like I’ve the right job. I’m within the company surroundings, however each day I speak to a small- or medium- sized enterprise proprietor. I’m an emotional man, and I actually get pleasure from speaking to the franchisees about their companies and listening to what they suppose will work. I could not at all times lend a hand as them, however I by no means disagree with them as a result of we’re all companions on this collectively. In the event that they don’t do nicely, we don’t do nicely. If we don’t do nicely, they don’t do nicely.
