Public relations communications process analysis

Marketing

PR Communications Process Analysis

This report is a public relations communications process analysis and therefore provides insights into one of the food industry's most successful organizations - Domino's Pizza. The report focuses on how the organization regularly communicates with its external public, examines the overall effectiveness and impact of the communications process and giving some specific examples of the public relations tools used. Like many success stories in American history, Dominos is a rags to riches type story. Consider that in 1960 there was only a single Domino's Pizza and today there are over eight thousand with new more sites planned. "Tom Monaghan and his brother James purchased "DomiNick's," pizza store in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Monaghan borrowed $500 to buy the store. In 1961, James trades his half of the business to Tom for a Volkswagen Beetle." (Domino's Home Page) the pizza industry is a more than thirty billion dollar monster. In the United States alone, three billion pizzas are sold by more than sixty thousand pizzerias and that can be translated into every man, woman and child eating approximately twenty five pounds of pizza on an annual basis. Dominos has become a large part of the pizza industry's market share - evidence points to their ability to use new technology and public relations communications more effectively than the competition as the main reason for their success.

Dominos has an excellent approach to advertising strategy and media campaigns. In 2003, Domino's Pizza was nominated as the pizza chain of the year by Pizza Today which is the leading pizza industry magazine. Domino's Pizza has demonstrated a consistent ability to grow in spite of a consistently turbulent economy and stock market. Obviously public relations and advertising are far from foolproof so the organizational growth can also be credited to a solid understanding of market research that senior management uses to make various strategic decisions. The company has been very generous with its advertising budget and the company is also considered as a community asset when it comes to social and ethical matters.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery operating a network of company-owned and franchise-owned stores in the United States and international markets. Domino's Pizza's Vision illustrates a company of exceptional people on a mission to be the best pizza delivery company in the world." (Domino's Home Page) Headquartered out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Domino's Pizza is no mom and pop pizza shop. "Domino's Pizza is the largest privately-held restaurant chain, and the eighth largest of all restaurant chains in the world." (Domino's Home Page) the company consists of over eight thousand corporate owned or franchised stores in the United States or around the world. Domino's has become a global conglomerate with stores in over fifty countries and they employ over one hundred and fifty thousand employees. Each individual location may have around ten to twenty full and part time employees. This corporate structure helped sales exceed four billion dollars in 2002 with an annual expected growth of five percent.

The main public relations and communications style is the company's unique selling and delivery style which equates to a successful advertising asset. The company is known for various approaches that use new inventions, technology and techniques in their advertising and communications processes. Domino's Pizza does a lot more than average amounts of retail sales advertising expected from a company of its size. For example, the communications with the external public consists of large quantities of marketing flyers as well as television, radio and newspaper advertising.

All organizations have to focus on sales and marketing as the main key to success because if there are no customers buying the products or services offered, a business cannot survive and grow. Success therefore entails attracting and retaining customers. "It is well recognized that a key issue in gaining brand awareness, trial, and subsequent loyalty is to reflect deep-seated values in advertising and augmented product offerings. When marketers address consumer values, target consumers sense that the product's purpose is to benefit their individual lives." (Durgee, O'Connor, and Veryzer) Marketing and selling must work together and Dominos has been very successful using the concept of the four P's: Product, Price, Placement and Promotion.