Domino’s sales boosted by marketing and World Cup

Domino’s Pizza says  profit increased by 28.6% in the first-half of the year as sales were given a boost by the World Cup and the company’s sponsorship of ITV1’s “Britain’s Got Talent”.

The Pizza chain’s  British and Irish franchises reported  pre-tax profit rose to £17.5m in the 26 weeks to 27 June, up from £13.6m a year earlier.

Like for like sales, which exclude income from new outlets, increased by 13.7% over last year, the company says, twice the 7.1% growth reported for 501 stores in the first half of 2009.

Domino’s will be buoyed by the apparent sales bump the early stages of the football World Cup provided. The chain has being trying to push sales during the tournament by running a football-themed campaign to encourage fans to order pizza while watching the games on TV.

ITV1 flagship show Britain’s Got Talent, sponsored by Domino’s, ran throughout most of the first half.

Chris Moore, Chief Executive Officer, says: “It is easy to try and attribute our success to one thing – be it the weather, or Britain’s Got Talent, or the World Cup – but the underlying trend shows a more compelling picture. We have now been in business for 25 years and those years of experience give us the foundation from which we can seize every opportunity.