IS IT SMART TO ATTACK COMPETITORS IN RADIO OR TV COMMERCIALS?

Sometimes attacking the competition in your television advertising or radio commercials is smart.

Sometimes it's very, very…not smart..

Here's what you should know before reading this commercial script.

Several years ago Pizza Hut filed a lawsuit against Papa John's Pizza, asserting that Papa John's slogan, "Better Ingredients. Better pizza," is "false advertising." That is the court case to which this TV commercial for Domino's Pizza refers.

Remember, this commercial is intended to sell Domino's Pizza…which was not involved in that court case.

The court ruling was on a claim involving Pizza Hut and Papa John's…but not Domino's…which coughed up a lot of money for this commercial….

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BRANDON SOLANO – DOMINO'S HEAD CHEF: For years, Papa John's has been telling us they have better ingredients, better pizza. But when challenged in this court, they stated their slogan is "puffery." What's puffery? Scott, you're a lawyer…

SCOTT: Puffery: an exaggerated statement based on opinion, not fact.

BRANDON SOLANO: Here's what's not puffery. Our new hand-tossed extra cheese and pepperoni pizzas just beat Papa John's in a national taste test. And to celebrate, we're offering two medium, two topping pizzas for just $5.99 each. Our pizzas taste better, and that's not puffery. That's proven.

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This is what we in the advertising business call "Really Dumb." It violates one of the most basic tenets of positioning: Bigger brands should not promote their smaller competitors.

Domino's has a much larger piece of the market pie (sorry about that one), but bizarrely it chooses to bring a smaller competitor to the attention of many consumers who previously had been unfamiliar with the other brand.

Domino's always owns a greater "consumer mind share": When asked, "What brand do you think of when I say 'pizza delivery service?'?"far fewer people will respond "Papa John's" than will say "Domino's."

But THIS commercial helps link the larger brand (Dominos) to the smaller, less known brand (Papa John's).

Domino's thinks this commercial makes Papa John's look back, but all it does is increase their awareness of the competing brand.

Standing in front of a courthouse and having a lawyer read a legal definition does nothing to make Dominos' pizza seem tastier — which is the goal of Domino's current "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza" campaign.

It's surprising to see Domino's shoot themselves in the foot this way.. They are trying to tell consumers that "Domino's pizza tastes better.But they spend the first 17 seconds of this 30-second commercial talking about a competitor.

That's a foolish approach to advertising.