Will Domino’s Pizza say no to Contract?

The pizza brand, which has worked with Contract for five years, is learnt to be reviewing its creative agency

Domino’s, the Arshad Warsi endorsed pizza brand, is learnt to have called for a pitch for its creative duties. The brand has been with Contract Advertising Delhi for five years.

Reliable sources confirm that there are no problems between Domino’s and Contract. The company is merely seeking fresh ideas for the brand. Last year, the marketing budget for the brand was Rs 20 crore, and this year, the company is eyeing a budget of around Rs 30 crore, say the sources.

Three agencies seem to be in the race for the Domino’s Pizza business, McCann Erickson, DraftFCB Ulka, and Contract, which is pitching to retain it. Domino’s could well choose to retain Contract at the end of the pitch process.

Arshad Warsi

The sources say that the pitch results will be out soon. Ajay Kaul, chief executive officer, Domino’s India, refused to comment on the pitch developments. It could not be ascertained whether the media business is also up for a pitch.

Contract won the Domino’s Pizza business from Equus Red Cell in 2002. At the same time, Domino’s aligned its media duties with Maxus (previously Maximize) Delhi, moving it from Madison Media.

Warsi, the brand ambassador for Domino’s, who appeared in the TV commercials for the popular Cheese Burst Pizza, was missing from the TVC for the Sicilian Wheat Treat Pizza, which was released in April 2008. The contract with Warsi was to be renewed at the time. Paresh Rawal also featured in a number of advertisements for the brand, but was not its brand ambassador.

Paresh Rawal - Warsi's
predecessor

In an official communiqué in April, Dev Amritesh, vice-president, marketing, Domino’s Pizza India, revealed that the company holds a 65 per cent market share in the home delivery segment. In the Rs 500 crore pizza market, Domino’s enjoys a 45 per cent share.

With around 190 outlets in India, Domino’s is looking at increasing its footprint in the pizza segment, which, it is estimated, will be worth Rs 700 crore by 2009. It is considering venturing to more cities, such as Surat, Panipat, Thiruvananthapuram and Jammu.

Domino’s Pizza India set up operations in 1995 as the master franchisee in India and Nepal of Domino’s Pizza International Inc. of the US. The first Domino’s Pizza store in India opened in January 1996 in New Delhi. Today, Domino’s Pizza India has grown into a countrywide network of around 190 outlets in 34 cities.

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