The Noid™ is Back! Domino’s® Villain Returns to TV Ads and New Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!™ Mobile Game.
The 1980s antihero is “crashing” television and mobile screens with its classic antics.
ANN ARBOR, MI (StLouisRestaurantReview) Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company globally based on global retail sales, has always had one nemesis: the Noid – an antihero that has been trying to prevent great pizza delivery since 1986. Maybe it was the chaos of 2020 that gave the Noid the confidence to return, or possibly the fact that Domino’s has continued to innovate around great pizza delivery with amazing technology. Whatever the reason, the Noid can’t stand it anymore, and the pesky antihero has returned in Domino’s new television ads, which begin airing today, trying to thwart the advanced technology of Nuro’s R2 robot, a completely autonomous, occupantless on-road vehicle, out on a pizza delivery.
“The Noid is Domino’s oldest and most famous villain, and the pizza delivery testing we’re doing with Nuro’s autonomous vehicle is exactly the kind of technology innovation that could provoke the Noid to return,” said Kate Trumbull, Domino’s vice president of advertising. “However, after 35 years of practice in avoiding the Noid, we’re pretty confident we know how to defeat it.”
While television screens are a great place for a classic nemesis to return, mobile devices are the newest place for the Noid to cause problems. Starting May 7, the Noid will join the newest installment of the Crash Bandicoot gaming series, Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, a new mobile adventure that honors the rich 25-year history of the beloved franchise. For a limited time, the Noid will be featured as one of the game’s mini-bosses, pitting players against the Noid as Crash progresses through the story. Avoiding the Noid has never been so fun! Players will also have access to exclusive Domino’s pizza-themed player skins, showing players love for all things pizza.
“We’re excited to launch our first in-game collaboration for Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! with Domino’s,” said Richard Hocking, head of marketing at King, the game’s developer. “With the Noid making its big return this year and the Crash Bandicoot franchise celebrating its 25th anniversary, it was the perfect opportunity to have players take on the Domino’s antihero alongside other nostalgic Crash bosses in this brand-new mobile adventure.”
Feeling sentimental about the Noid? Domino’s now has a limited number of “Hanging in There” and “Avoid the Noid” T-shirts, as well as tumblers available for purchase on Amazon. All profits from the Noid merchandise will go to Domino’s Partners Foundation, an independent internal nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to Domino’s franchise and corporate team members in need. The Noid has even schemed its way into GIPHY, the online platform that houses GIFs and stickers for all major social media platforms.