Latest news with #WorkInProgress
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Domino's new ads hit at fast food burger chains in fight over value
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. Domino's today (Aug. 4) launched a new campaign for its long-standing $6.99 Mix & Match deal, per details shared with Marketing Dive. Creative visualizes how pizzas stack up to similarly priced cheeseburgers by cutting the latter into comically small portions in an attempt to grab the attention of consumers who still think fast-food burger chains provide the best value. The effort was created with agency partner WorkInProgress and demonstrates how Domino's is taking the fight over QSR value to fast-food chains. Two 30-second spots featuring real people bring that insight to life for kids at a bounce park and for practicing football players; the campaign also includes a 15-second product-focused ad. Creative will run across TV, linear, social and digital. 'Every QSR brand and fast casual is trying to find their way into value, and I think they are realizing they need to apply more creative firepower to that, because it's so crucial right now,' said Matt Talbot, co-founder and chief creative officer at WorkInProgress. 'We talk a lot about value being not cheap, but being the best food for a good price… I think our position was less about targeting a specific brand, and more the categories or food types, just to make people think about it in a new way.' The value-focused push comes as the macroeconomic landscape remains unsettled by the effects of tariffs, inflation and other issues. QSR brands, especially fast-food chains that have long relied on low prices as a key part of their value propositions, have struggled to deliver on value as they previously had. The market has forced restaurants to turn to new marketing strategies, with chains including Chili's advertising about providing more value than fast food. 'Our approach to advertising is to combine a memorable brand action, craveable pizza and strong and consistent value. This combination allows for more breakthrough work that is also very attractive to customers [and] helps us break out of the sea of sameness you start to feel in the QSR space,' said Kate Trumbull, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at Domino's, in emailed comments. While Chili's illustrated the high cost of fast food with a high-concept pop-up, Domino's is using an effective visual metaphor that was first conceptualized by Domino's CEO Russell Weiner before being expanded upon by WorkInProgress. The creative process on the campaign illustrates the collaborative approach between brand and agency that has yielded other successful efforts, like its Emergency Pizza platform. 'There's not any barrier between Domino's and us, as far as the way ideas flow back and forth, because we have such a tight relationship and we have a seat at the table,' Talbot explained. 'We know what's going on with the business, and we know what are the levers we can pull.' The focus on the $6.99 Mix & Match deal demonstrates how Domino's is finding new messages around old offers, especially with its previous 'Best Deal Ever' promotion set to end on Aug. 3. The effort is backed by internal research that found consumers still view fast-food burger chains as having the best value, despite the reality in 2025. 'This deal has existed for a very long time and is very popular with existing customers, but isn't used commonly by new customers,' Talbot said. 'We've never illustrated the value in this super clear way.' Domino's last quarter saw U.S. same-store sales growth of 3.4%, per an earnings report. Executives on a call with investors discussed how having the largest ad budget within the pizza QSR gives the chain the ability to out-advertise the competition, especially in an environment where all of QSR faces headwinds. 'I think the important thing to understand right now is whether it's pizza or burgers or QSRs in general. There is pressure because consumers are looking for value,' CEO Russell Weiner said on the call. 'The big difference with Domino's is when we provide value, we're going on offense. We're doing it because we think we can grow, and I think other folks are doing it because they're on defense and a little bit treading water.'
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Michelle Obama reacts to divorce rumours: ‘We're 60, y'all!'
In an attempt to shut down persistent divorce rumours, former US First Lady Michelle Obama has revealed the real reason she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, are rarely seen together in public anymore. Speaking on NPR's Wild Card podcast with Rachel Martin on Thursday, the 61-year-old said that speculation around her marriage stems from people not seeing the couple photographed together. But she explained this is simply a reflection of their age and lifestyle, not trouble in their relationship. 'The fact that people don't see me going out on a date with my husband sparks rumours of the end of our marriage. It's like, 'OK, so we don't Instagram every minute of our lives. We are 60. We're 60, y'all,'' Michelle said, according to The Independent. 'You just are not gonna know what we're doing every minute of the day,' she added. Rumours of a rift between the Obamas first gained traction earlier this year when Michelle did not attend former President Jimmy Carter's funeral or Donald Trump's second inauguration in January. At the time, she defended her decision, saying it was part of redefining her own priorities. 'One of the major decisions I made this year was to stay put and not attend funerals and inaugurations and all the things that I'm supposed to attend,' she said. 'That was a part of me using my ambition to say, 'Let me define what I want to do, apart from what I'm supposed to do, what the world expects of me.'' 'Whatever the backlash was, I had to sit in it and own it. But I didn't regret it, you know? It's my life now, and I can say that, now.' Michelle Obama has spoken earlier about stepping back from public life to focus on her own well-being. On the Work In Progress podcast with actress Sophia Bush, she spoke about how her priorities have shifted since leaving the White House. With her daughters now adults, she said, she finally feels free to make decisions for herself. 'I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago, but I didn't give myself that freedom,' she admitted. 'Maybe even as much as I let my kids live their own lives, I use their lives as an excuse for why I couldn't do something.'
Arab News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Red Sea Souk opens industry program applications
RIYADH: The Red Sea Souk has opened submissions for its Project Market and Work-in-Progress screenings, both set to run during the fifth Red Sea International Film Festival, taking place in Jeddah's historic Al-Balad district from Dec. 4-13 this year. Held annually, the Red Sea International Film Festival amplifies the Kingdom's creative and cultural diversity through programs designed to engage both public audiences and industry professionals. The festival's industry market, running from Dec. 6-10, brings together filmmakers, producers, investors, and cinema professionals from around the globe to support emerging talent and international co-productions. • The Project Market is accepting submissions until June 20 for narrative, animated, and documentary projects currently in development or production. • The Work-in-Progress program is open until July 29 to feature films in post-production. The Project Market is accepting submissions until June 20 for narrative, animated, and documentary projects currently in development or production. Projects must be helmed by directors from Arab, African, or Asian countries, or by filmmakers of Arab origin. Selected entries will receive tailored industry guidance and opportunities to pitch to distributors, festival programmers, and production partners. The Work-in-Progress program is open until July 29 to feature films in post-production. It offers private industry screenings, mentorship, and networking with potential distributors, financiers, and festival representatives. Both programs will strengthen film talent from Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab, African, and Asian regions, encouraging co-productions and international exposure. The festival continues to serve as a key platform for cross-cultural collaboration and creative opportunities in the global film community and Saudi Arabia's burgeoning creative sector.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Domino's® Extends Partnership with Indie Agency WorkInProgress Through 2027
Together, Domino's and WorkInProgress have navigated a post-pandemic world, helping Domino's face economic and categorical headwinds to maintain its No. 1 position ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Domino's Pizza Inc. (Nasdaq: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world, has extended its contract with U.S. agency of record WorkInProgress (WIP) through 2027, following four successful years together. The independent agency, based in Boulder, Colorado, will lead strategic and creative duties spanning all brand touchpoints, which now includes social AOR duties. "We have one of the rarest agency partnerships in the history of our industry," said Kate Trumbull, Domino's executive vice president – chief marketing officer. "WorkInProgress' team, many of whom have worked on the brand for more than 10 years, brings both institutional knowledge and a relentless work-in-progress passion to keep taking bold action and making breakthrough advertising that never stops. This all-in mentality, combined with their creative talent, has made them a critical part of bringing our Hungry for M.O.R.E. strategy to life." With the relationship beginning in 2021, together Domino's and WorkInProgress have navigated a post-pandemic world, leveraging renowned value to drive orders via successful action-based campaigns that turn value into "talk value." Highlights include: Surprise Frees™ - Giving away more than $50 million in Surprise Free items to customers who ordered delivery from Domino's, rather than hitting them with surprise fees like delivery aggregators. Mind Ordering - Partnering with Netflix's "Stranger Things" to develop a new app that let users order pizza without ever touching the screen, just like Eleven in the show, and partnering with Oscar-nominated director Ted Melfi to film a two-minute behind-the-scenes video and 360 campaign to promote the app, Domino's, and the launch of season four. Carryout Tips - Combating post-pandemic delivery staffing shortages by turning Domino's customers into their own delivery drivers, and tipping them when they carried out. Emergency Pizza 1.0 - Giving customers a free Emergency Pizza to use when they need it most (when they ordered from Domino's), turning a buy-one-get-one-later coupon into one of Domino's most successful promotions of all time. You Tip, We Tip - Helping relieve tipping fatigue by tipping customers $3 back when they tipped their delivery drivers. MOREflation - Giving customers more when other brands were giving them less – known as shrinkflation – by upgrading a medium pizza to a large for free. Emergency Pizza 2.0 - Bringing Emergency Pizza to more places than ever, like partnering with football superstar Stefon Diggs to give away $1 million in free Emergency Pizzas to fantasy football managers who drafted him only to have their seasons ruined by his injury. Or creating a full 360 campaign that took Emergency Pizza into the world of Netflix's biggest show of all time – "Squid Games." Over the past four years, Domino's has outpaced many QSR brands during a time of economic uncertainty, maintaining its standing as the No. 1 pizza company in the world while also becoming the No. 1 carryout pizza brand in the United States, and setting new benchmarks for the brand, like garnering over 5 billion earned media impressions for a single campaign – Emergency Pizza – the most in the company's history. "We obsess over the brand like it were our own company," said Matt Talbot, co-founder and chief creative officer at WorkInProgress. "After all, we're a small business just like the hundreds of Domino's franchisees that we serve across the country. The Domino's team welcomes us to the table and continues to take calculated yet bold swings that set them apart from their competition. We're so thankful we get to work with such smart, kind, pizza-obsessed people every day. It's a dream come true and a major part of our culture here at WorkInProgress." "Many agencies claim to be more than advertising partners, with buzzwords like 'consultants' and 'brand growth hackers.' But WorkInProgress wakes up every day and proves it," said Trumbull. "The team at WIP are true Dominoids to the core, as we like to call ourselves, and we can't wait to see what this next chapter brings." About Domino's Pizza®Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 21,300 stores in over 90 markets. Domino's had global retail sales of over $19.1 billion in 2024. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 99% of Domino's stores as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. In the U.S., Domino's generated more than 85% of U.S. retail sales in 2024 via digital channels and has developed many innovative ordering platforms. Order – Info – Assets – About WorkInProgress WorkInProgress is an independent advertising agency that helps brands in commoditized categories differentiate themselves by taking action. These actions prove what the company passionately believes and lead to more memorable advertising, generate more earned media and are more intrinsically branded. The approach generates increased engagement, bringing in new customers and building loyalty with existing ones, all while filling the paid media plan with more effective content. The result is increased sales and brand love. WorkInProgress has been named an Ad Age A-List Agency Standout (2022), twice recognized by Ad Age's Small Agency Awards (2020, 2022) and shortlisted for Campaign US' Independent Agency of the Year (2023). 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Buzz Feed
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Michelle Obama Just Addressed All Of Those Divorce Rumors Between Her And Barack Obama
Michelle Obama discussed divorce rumors and her step back from the public eye. The former First Lady skipped both Jimmy Carter's funeral and Donald Trump's inauguration earlier this year. A scheduling conflict was cited for the former while reports suggested she did not want to "plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol's sake" for the inauguration. These added to divorce speculation, which was already well underway due to a false rumor that Barack was secretly hooking up with Jennifer Anniston (he wasn't). This is despite both Michelle and Barack posting loving public messages to one another for Valentine's Day and Michelle's birthday. In a new episode of the podcast Work In Progress with Sophia Bush, Michelle was asked what her "social life" looks like nowadays. "It is whatever I want," she replied. "It's the first time in my life all of my choices are for me." "But it's also a little scary. Because as a mom and a busy person, it was always somebody else's excuse — Why didn't I do this? Why haven't I gone there? Well, I have to make sure the girls are okay, or my husband's president, so I can't do that," she continued. "Now, I can't blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me," she continued. "As a woman, I think if I'm honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago. But I didn't give myself that freedom. Maybe, even as much as I let my kids lead their own lives, I used their lives as an excuse for why I couldn't do something. And now that's wrong." Michelle said that she looked at her calendar and in the case of a "real big example," chose not to do something she was "supposed" to. "I chose to do what was best for me. Not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do. And between you and me, it was an important test for me as a woman, as an independent person. Because like all women and a lot of people, I operate from guilt," she continued. "What should I do? What is the best thing for everybody else?" "But the interesting thing is that when I say no, for the most part, people are like, 'I get it.' That's the thing that we as women struggle with: Disappointing people. So much so that this year, people couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing," she explained. "This couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that's what society does to us." Jean Catuffe / GC Images
