Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

In Episode 233 of Anecdotally Speaking, learn how Domino’s transformed their business by owning their flaws and taking bold action.

Mark shares the remarkable story of how Domino’s Pizza turned plummeting revenue and customer dissatisfaction into a thriving success.

Facing harsh criticism and a sinking share price in 2009, the company boldly launched the “Sorry We Suck” campaign, openly admitting their pizza’s poor quality and committing to improvement.

By reinventing their recipe and embracing transparency, Domino’s not only regained customer trust but also saw exponential growth.

Mark and Shawn delve into key business lessons, including the value of authenticity, vulnerability in leadership, and the importance of challenging conventional wisdom.

Find out more about our 2025 events here.

For your story bank

Tags: Authenticity, Leadership, Storytelling, Vulnerability, Transparency, Marketing, Innovation

This story starts at 2:07

In 2009, Domino’s Pizza found itself in a dire situation. Viral videos of inappropriate employee behaviour, including one that involved a convicted felon encouraging unhygienic practices in a kitchen, had significantly damaged the brand’s reputation.

Simultaneously, customer feedback on their pizza quality was scathing—comments like “microwave pizza is better than this,” “the crust tastes like cardboard,” and “Domino’s pizza is ketchup on cardboard” reflected widespread dissatisfaction.

At the time, Domino’s was renowned for its delivery logistics and ease of ordering but lagged in product quality. Their share price had plummeted to under $10.

In response, Patrick Doyle, who had been with Domino’s since 1997, was appointed CEO in 2009. Determined to turn the company around, Doyle took an unconventional approach. He gathered his team in their Ann Arbor, Michigan, test kitchen and made a bold declaration: “We need to start from scratch.”

Rather than hiding from criticism, Doyle launched the “Sorry We Suck” campaign. The company openly admitted to their failings, with advertisements prominently featuring harsh customer reviews. In Times Square, Domino’s displayed billboards with statements like “Our pizza crust is like cardboard.” Doyle himself appeared in ads, candidly acknowledging, “We haven’t been using real cheese.”

The campaign wasn’t just about transparency—it was about action.

Domino’s completely revamped their pizza recipe, and to showcase the improvements, they surprised disgruntled customers by delivering the new pizzas directly to their doors. The customers’ delighted reactions were featured in videos that became a part of the campaign.

The results were astonishing. Within six months of launching the campaign in 2010, Domino’s experienced significant sales growth. By 2011, their share price had tripled to $30, and by 2021, it had risen to $480. The company not only reclaimed its reputation but also became a case study in how vulnerability, authenticity, and bold leadership can drive transformative change.