MAM
Domino’s launches a new journey as your joyful companion
Mumbai: Domino’s journey in India, as it unveiled a strikingly vibrant new look, capturing the essence of being more than just a brand – it’s a companion for every joyful moment. This transformation is not just skin-deep; it’s the embodiment of an old friend, reimagined in an exciting new avatar.
Introducing its dynamic brand campaign, ‘It Happens Only with Pizza’ (IHOP), Domino’s has strategically tapped into the pulse of India’s youth. Across the diverse mosaic of Indian cultures, young people universally find that amidst life’s every tension or celebration, if one gets to eat a good meal, the mood gets further elevated. And what if that meal happens to be a slice of delicious pizza? This insight has shaped Domino’s relaunch – a fresh, youthful, and vivacious persona that resonates with the trends and insights of today’s generation.
On this occasion, Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd MD & CEO Sameer Khetarpal shared his insights: “While Domino’s is a leader in the pizza category, through ‘It Happens Only with Pizza’, we intend to target consumers’ mindshare to gain and grow share of pizza occasions. Out of 1000 meal occasions in a year, pizza is consumed only thrice. A 360-degree communication, including stores and delivery boxes, brings the experience in an integrated manner, allowing Domino’s to gain a share of occasions in a $51 billion foodservice market, where pizza is just $ one billion.”
At the heart of this brand revitalization is the IHOP campaign, designed to infuse Domino’s with an energetic and dynamic flair, particularly appealing to Gen Z and young millennials. This initiative forms a cornerstone of Domino’s “Brand Relaunch” campaign, encompassing a fresh packaging design and a comprehensive brand overhaul. The aim is clear: to position Domino’s as the ultimate choice for creating memorable experiences and fostering connections, all centred around the shared love for pizza. Consumers can rest assured, that the Domino’s Pizza they know, and love remains unchanged – it’s the same magical recipe, now wrapped in a more vibrant and youthful presentation.
Domino’s has also brought alive 3D anamorphic billboards in Delhi for the first time in the QSR industry. This visual spectacle will feature larger-than-life representations of key IHOP moments, mirroring the new packaging design to enhance brand recognition.
Sandeep Anand, EVP and CMO at Domino’s India, echoed this excitement: “We’re thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with our customers. This evolution reflects our commitment to staying dynamic and relevant, responding to the ever-changing preferences of the youth. This rebranding goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about creating lasting brand memories that resonate with fun, freshness, youthfulness, and vibrancy. Elements like our eye-catching 3D Anamorphic Billboard and our catchy brand anthem are set to create an unprecedented brand recall.”
This comprehensive activation serves as more than just marketing – it’s a narrative about the unique moments that are elevated by the presence of pizza. Amplified through strategic social media channels, this campaign is designed to maximize engagement and reinforce Domino’s position as the top culinary choice.
MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
