Ep 68: John Hughes is the Director of Media for Domino's
All business comes down to solving a problem, and marketing is no different. Today’s guest is here to share how his multifaceted career journey has informed his expertise as Director of Media for Domino’s. Tuning in, you’ll hear an overview of the exciting media campaigns Domino’s has activated this year, bringing digital and traditional media together under one roof. John shares some insight on the ‘test and learn’ culture that drew him to choose Domino’s and how that plays out in daily decision-making. We dive into the brand’s relationship with TikTok, and which deliverables John chooses to outsource. Find out what motivates the rigorous nature of marketing at Domino’s, hear why what’s meaningful to a customer is not always intuitive, and how John chooses to navigate that as Director of Media. He believes that every form of media has its place in the ecosystem and this underpins his approach as a leader. Hear some hard-earned pearls of wisdom before our conversation draws to a close with John’s memorable answers to our lightning-round questions. Join us today for an episode that packs a punch!
Key Points From This Episode:
An introduction to today’s guest, John Hughes, Director of Media for Domino’s.
The current hybrid work dynamic they have implemented.
Why John feels, even on tough days, that his eight year old self would be proud of him.
The growing relevance of organic digital content for big brands.
An overview of the 2022 Domino’s marketing plan and how it has gone so far.
What Domino’s’ existing footprint looks like domestically and internationally.
Some of the exciting campaigns that Domino’s has done this year including Surprise Free’s and a collaboration with Stranger Things.
Why Domino’s has brought together traditional and digital media.
The ‘test and learn’ culture that drew John to Domino’s as a company.
How Domino’s is responding to the new economic reality we are facing.
Why Domino’s positions media at the top and bottom of the funnel to do the same thing.
Understanding which platforms convert and why.
The role of Mindshare agency in supporting Domino’s’ media buying strategy.
Metrics used to measure organic media success.
What is inherently different about TikTok in comparison to other channels.
Why Domino’s is looking for new ways to deepen their partnership on TikTok.
Why John believes it would be misguided not to be bullish on TikTok.
His approach to do as much as he can on a national level so that franchisees don’t have to on a local level.
The waste in the ecosystem that motivates Domino’s to be rigorous in their marketing. strategy.
Why what’s meaningful to a customer is not always intuitive and how Domino’s navigates this.
The agency that Domino’s partners with for SEO and paid search, Oviedo.
John’s belief that every form of media has its place in the ecosystem.
How John’s career journey informs his work today.
His advice to just get started and to stay committed to your growth.
The Domino’s culture of rotation which differs from an agency experience.
What all business comes down to: identifying a problem and fixing it.
John’s view on Instagram which he views as one in the same as Facebook.
His opinion on Gen Z: same problem, different day.
How influencer marketing can be an area of opportunity for brands.
Tweetables:
“The great thing about media is it's constantly changing. No year ever goes exactly as planned.” — John Hughes [0:05:15]
“Whether it's digital or whether it's traditional is more of just kind of something that's in the background. It's really just finding the best way to reach people and doing that in a very relevant platform appropriate way.” — John Hughes [0:07:28]
“I think anyone who uses TikTok can tell that there's something inherently different about TikTok that you don't see even on products that look very similar.” — John Hughes [0:16:33]