Usually, when brands take any sort of altruistic angle in their marketing, people will still argue that it might be in their economic interest to do so, making their public support of a charity or social issue appear less genuine and more exploitative.

Domino’s most recent campaign gives pause to more cynical consumer responses because the campaign doesn’t celebrate Domino’s; it celebrates pizza.

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Domino’s opened their Points for Pies campaign the day before the Super Bowl, one of Domino’s most successful days of the year, with a pretty simple call to action to get behind: snap photos of your pizza — ANY pizza, from artisanal to homemade to competitors to toy pizzas — and Domino’s new AI technology will reward you points that lead to getting a free pizza.

It follows a loyalty program model, but participants don’t have to show their loyalty to get the goods. So what’s the catch?

According to Domino’s VP of Advertising, the goal of the campaign is to attract new customers. Other analysts speculate that the campaign’s aim is to create buzz around the brand as well as get customers stoked on Domino’s regular loyalty program, Piece of the Pie Rewards.

Plus, mobile app usage for fast-casual restaurants has steadily increased. 40% of consumers prefer to order food online, and they spend 26% more online than they do in stores.

Obviously, Domino’s has some monetary goal in mind. Participants do have to download the app and create an account, but it’s hard to tell what the ROI of these efforts will be in the long run. Any way you spin it, earning a free pizza by eating any pizza you want is a hard campaign to poke holes in.

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As the top pizza company in the world with over 25,000 locations, Domino’s can get away with a campaign that encourages customers to buy their competitors’ product. Heck, the CEO even shot the ad in a competitor’s restaurant. But it may just be this laissez-faire, top-dog attitude that gets them in trouble with customers, especially on social media.

Take a look at the #pointsforpies Twitter feed, for example. Many of the most recent comments, some reporting issues with the app not working, have not seen a response by Domino’s. When you are the proclaimed pizza giant, maybe you can get away with that. Maybe they’ll even attract more customers and increase their loyalty program usage regardless.

Why the campaign works in a nutshell:

• Gamification is an incredibly effective strategy. Gamification has been shown to boost engagement by 47%. As participants level up, they experience an immediate sense of gratification, making it more likely they will keep playing. And what’s more…
• It doesn’t feel impossible to win. Domino’s offer is so out-of-the-box and generous, and the accompanying list of rules and regulations don’t feel imposing at all. Participants are welcome to post once a week, earn a free pizza up to six times, and can expect their points to expire after six months. Not only have they found a way to gamify pizza, but nearly anyone can play and win.
• It’s unequivocally user-centric. Aside from gaining app downloads and potentially more customer loyalty, this campaign focuses on pizza lovers. Participants don’t have to be a Domino’s customer. By extending their reach to all pizza lovers out there, they created an accessible and inclusive campaign for anyone to participate in.