University Name: Domino's Pizza Crisis Communication and SCCT Analysis

This report provides an analysis of Domino's Pizza's response to a crisis involving employee misconduct, using the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) framework. The analysis begins with an overview of the crisis, where employees were caught engaging in unethical food preparation practices, leading to viral videos and negative publicity. The report examines how Domino's President addressed the situation, investigating the issue and communicating with stakeholders, customers, and employees. The report assesses the crisis type and intensifying factors, evaluating Domino's communication strategy, which included acknowledging the issue, apologizing to customers, firing the employees, and shutting down the store for sanitation. The report provides recommendations for improving Domino's crisis management plan, focusing on employee management, ethical conduct, and food safety policies to regain customer trust and avoid similar crises in the future. The analysis also references relevant academic literature to support its findings.

Running Head: COMMUNICATION AND SITUATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Effective communication during situational crisis management
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2CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION
Domino’s Pizza has used the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) in the best
possible manner, by adopting the best public relation tactic of online message communicating,
after the outbreak of the news of its ill-food preparation practices by some unethical employees.
Some viral videos were being posted on YouTube by Domino’s employees where they played
some pranks and in no time the video become viral. People started reacting and the President
understood that the consequences will be far reaching and ultimate reputation and brand name of
the company will get hampered. Bad reputation can be bad for business too (Liu & Fraustino,
2014). In order to lessen the degree of impact the President started investigating the misdeed.
Reliable sources were used in finding the authentication of the news by clearing all speculations
(if any). The evidence-based research proved two long time Dominos employees to be involved
in the crisis. The crisis had a negative impact on society and also on customers
("SITUATIONAL CRISIS COMMUNICATION THEORY - Timothy Coombs", 2019). The
stakeholders also need to be answered about the organizational responsibility. This situational
crisis has some organizational responsibility linkage to it. Here the organization itself is the
victim of crisis.
To cope the crisis situation the President came out with the best communicative advice both for
the stakeholders, customers and also for the employees responsible for the crisis. People were
cautioned not to eat or order any meal from that store (keeping health safety in mind) and also
apology was seeked for the inconvenience. It was clearly stated nothing is more sacred to them
than the trust of the customers. Action measures were being taken and the two employees have
been fired with the message “and you too…”, the store is been shut down and sanitized from top
to bottom. The 2-minute video prank now will cause the company to pay for 2 years ("Domino's
Pizza YouTube Video Public Relations Tactic", 2019). People will, for some span of time,

3CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION
restrain themselves from eating, pizza and sandwiches. Recommendations would be in aspects
of employee management and maintenance of ethical conduct during working hours and also
food safety and hygiene policies need to be reframed so that customers trust comes back and they
do not doubt about the meals in future (Ma & Zhan, 2016). The President need to consider all
factors of the present crisis and should strive to avoid such crisis situations in future times as
well.

4CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION
References
Domino's Pizza YouTube Video Public Relations Tactic. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib5K1F17Az0
Liu, B. F., & Fraustino, J. D. (2014). Beyond image repair: Suggestions for crisis communication
theory development. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 543-546.
Ma, L., & Zhan, M. (2016). Effects of attributed responsibility and response strategies on
organizational reputation: A meta-analysis of situational crisis communication theory
research. Journal of Public Relations Research, 28(2), 102-119.
SITUATIONAL CRISIS COMMUNICATION THEORY - Timothy Coombs. (2019). Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zctIlJUeoA