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Executives at some of the globe’s largest brands have occasionally misread consumer desires in spectacular fashion. In 1975, a Kodak engineer developed the digital camera, yet the company chose not to advance it, fearing it would jeopardize their film business. Similarly, Coke’s attempt at a new formula in 1985 became infamous for its failure. Not long after, Domino’s Pizza made a notable blunder of its own.
Back in 1988, The New York Times revealed that CBS was planning to create an animated children’s cartoon featuring The Noid, a character from Domino’s TV advertisements dating back to 1986. Created using the famed claymation techniques of Will Vinton and his team, The Noid was a mischievous, cackling figure determined to ruin delivery pizzas, while the campaign assured viewers that Domino’s 30-minute delivery would help “avoid the Noid.”
Despite the efforts of TMS Entertainment, the show’s development company, to promote it as a positive influence for children, both Congress and public advocacy groups quickly recognized it as a thinly veiled commercial for Domino’s pizza. Larry Rasky, an aide for the House of Representatives Telecommunications and Finance subcommittee, remarked that the committee would be concerned about the ongoing exploitation of children on Saturday mornings. Peggy Charren, a TV industry lobbyist from Action for Children’s Television, accurately identified the proposed show as “a commercial disguised as a program.”
Despite attempts by series development company TMS Entertainment to represent the show as delivering positive messages for kids, Congress and public advocacy groups saw it immediately for what it was; a show-length commercial for Domino’s pizza. House of Representatives Telecommunications and Finance subcommittee aide Larry Rasky expressed that the committee “would be concerned that this is a continuation of the exploitation of children that currently exists on Saturday morning.” TV industry lobbyist Peggy Charren of Action for Children’s Television rightfully pegged the proposed show as “a commercial disguised as a program.”
“The Noid” cartoon was poised to join a surge of animated children’s shows with product tie-ins that emerged in the late ’80s after the Reagan administration lifted restrictions on such programming. Series like “My Little Pony,” “Rainbow Brite,” and “Pound Puppies” were all based on popular toy lines.
A cartoon was never made, but the Noid lived on elsewhere
When CBS announced “The Noid,” ratings for toy-driven shows were already plummeting. Furthermore, 1989 turned out to be a challenging year for Domino’s and its troublesome mascot. That year, Jean Kinder from St. Louis was involved in an accident with a Domino’s driver and later received a $78 million award. Additionally, a man named Kenneth Lamar Noid took employees hostage at an Atlanta-area restaurant, claiming the company owed him money. He was charged with kidnapping and firearms offenses but was found not guilty by reason of insanity and tragically died by suicide in 1995.
By the time these events unfolded, the Noid TV show and ad campaign had been abandoned. However, in 2021, The Noid made a comeback through a Crash Bandicoot game appearance and featured in a commercial promoting autonomous delivery vans in the Houston area. In a press release, Domino’s VP of advertising, Kate Trumbull, stated, “The Noid is Domino’s oldest and most famous villain, and the pizza delivery testing we’re doing with Nuro’s autonomous vehicle in Houston is exactly the kind of technology innovation that could provoke the Noid to return.”
By the time CBS announced “The Noid,” ratings for toy-based shows had cratered. Additionally, 1989 proved awful for both Domino’s and its annoying mascot. That year, Jean Kinder of St. Louis was hit by a Domino’s driver and later awarded $78 million, and a man named Kenneth Lamar Noid took employees hostage at a restaurant outside Atlanta claiming the company owed him money. Noid was charged with kidnapping and firearms offenses but found not guilty by reason of insanity; he died by suicide in 1995.
The Noid TV show and ad campaign had been scuttled by the time of the incident. In 2021, the character returned as part of a Crash Bandicoot game, and appeared in a commercial promoting autonomous delivery vans in the Houston area. In a press release Domino’s VP of advertising Kate Trumbull explained, “The Noid is Domino’s oldest and most famous villain, and the pizza delivery testing we’re doing with Nuro’s autonomous vehicle in Houston is exactly the kind of technology innovation that could provoke the Noid to return.”
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