I am a 25-year survivor of domestic abuse, and from my perspective, the Domino's commercial "Pizza Can't Please Everyone" broadcasts a message that feels irresponsible and harmful to viewers, especially those who have experienced trauma like domestic violence. 

My name is Camille Gregory, and I am a survivor of 25 years of domestic violence. I know exactly what it feels like to be slapped around, knocked down, and physically beaten over the most trivial things like putting the wrong ingredient in a meal or bringing the wrong item home from the grocery store. I have lived through the terror of walking on eggshells in my own home. Because of this long-endured trauma, I live with PTSD and anxiety every day.

Violence is not entertainment. Abuse is not a joke. A broadcasted assault on a human being should never be used to sell a product.

When I watched the recent Domino’s commercial, (Pizza can’t Please Everyone), it triggered a multi hour episode that required medication just to calm my mind and body down. What millions of people are watching and laughing at is a literal reenactment of domestic abuse. My abuse.

If you look closely at the commercial, the dynamic of an abusive household is clear from the very first moment that the father places the pizza on the dining room table. The look on his face shows that he is visibly anxious, and terrified of his family’s reaction. He knows what is coming, and I recognize that look because I have experienced it and have seen it on my children’s faces in the past. This tells me that in this fictional household fear and intimidation are a daily reality.

Next, the violence explodes over a pizza topping. The son screams at the father, jumps into the dinner table, and lunges at this father to hit him. The daughter and mother join the assault, beating the father’s head into the food on the table. It finally culminates in the entire family lifting this man up and throwing him entirely through a plate glass picture window at the front of the house.

Domino’s and the FCC, FTC, and NAD seem to feel that this is a lighthearted advertisement about dinner preferences. That it features awkward, comedic parenting and light family tension that does not contain depictions, threats, or any subtext of violence.

Through my research I learned that in media and advertising there is a legal and regulatory distinction between the depiction of literal domestic abuse and over the top unrealistic cartoon violence. However, real human actors are used, not cartoons in this ad.

Further research on this commercial suggested that the violence, (if there is any) escalates instantly and mathematically impossibly in this scenario, therefore the commercial borrows heavily from slapstick comedy. It supposably strips away the actual terrifying dynamics of domestic abuse such as control, fear, intimidation, and genuine physical harm and replaces them with an exaggerated live action cartoon like gag. My personal experiences do not agree with this explanation.

The look on the father’s face as he sits at the table belies these thoughts. I have survived many similar incidents within my previous abuse and trauma. If they want to use slapstick and cartoon like violence, Dominos needs to employ actual cartoon figures in their ads, not real actors. It should also be noted here that children behaving like the one in the commercial toward a parent is a very dangerous precedent to follow. Children are great mimics and usually will reenact what they have seen or repeat what they have heard without the filter of maturity. Is this the example that Dominoes wants to set for our children? That it is ok, and even humorous to yell, attack, slap, hit or beat their parents?

I want to ask Dominos, the networks, and the FCC a simple question. Since when is a family wide beatdown acceptable corporate entertainment?

We live in a society that rightly enforces strict boundaries when it comes to protecting vulnerable groups. If a commercial depicted this kind of sudden severe physical violence against a woman, a person of color, a person of alternative lifestyle, or a transgender individual, it would not air for a single day. The company would face immediate, widespread legal action, and the ad would be pulled with a public apology. I draw your attention to the recent Callaway Golf ad, where a female was pushed down. However, according to the parties responsible for this ad, it is ok to victimize domestic violence victims. How is that acceptable?

So, since the victim in this commercial is a man, and the father of the family, he can be assaulted by his entire family and thrown out a glass picture window, and it is viewed as harmless slapstick comedy or cartoon like troupe. This is a dangerous double standard that desensitizes the public and slaps every domestic violence survivor in the face. It is also dangerous because it shows a progression of behavior from children that should never be acceptable and also increases the difficulty that male survivors of abuse face. Minimizing a physical beatdown because this is a male victim makes it harder for male victims to speak out, seek help, or be taken seriously.

Domestic violence does not care about gender, age, race, color, or personal lifestyle preferences. Abuse is abuse, no matter whom it is directed at. Teaching children that it is funny or acceptable to violently attack anyone, especially a parent over a food order, is a dangerous and irresponsible precedent.

I wish to hold the responsible parties accountable.  I would like to see sanctions, accountability, and most importantly permanent removal of this dangerous, abusive commercial. I would like to hear a public apology from Dominos and the FCC for letting this ever take place. Shame on you Dominos for making domestic abuse victims and survivors a joke in this ad! 

With over 10 million people experiencing domestic violence annually in the United States alone, it is pivotal that media focuses on promoting messages that foster empathy and validation, rather than inconsiderate narratives.

We urge Domino’s and their advertising partners to consider the broader implications of their marketing strategies. We suggest they work with advocacy groups to ensure future campaigns are both humorous and affirming, without unintended messages that might hurt or alienate viewers. We believe in the power of humor and creativity in advertising – let's ensure it's inclusive and thoughtful.

By signing this petition, you help champion a media space that is more aware, empathetic, and conscientious of the diverse experiences of all viewers. Join me in asking for the immediate removal and banning of this commercial on television, fostering a more inclusive and sensitive media landscape. Together, we can make a change.