Scott Oelkers '85 It was the summer of 1994, and Scott Oelkers '85 was in a funk. He had amassed 35 Domino's Pizza locations in Taiwan, yet a survey revealed that he was but a blip in marketplace awareness, with a mere three percent top-of-mind recognition. So he hired an advertising firm.
“They wanted me to do commercials,” recalls Oelkers, 47, who is based in Dallas, where he’s lived for the past six years. “And they wanted me to star in them because they would be funnier, they said, and have more impact.” The wacky television commercials feature Oelkers as different characters: a wild DJ, a James Bond-type spy, and in a spoof of the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” The ads won his restaurants widespread recognition—up to 15 percent top-of-mind in 90 days—and up to 50 percent within three years. The commercials also turned him into a celebrity in China. Fans today stop him on the street, asking him for his autograph and to pose for photos. By 1996, Oelkers was the fastest franchise owner to reach 100 locations in Domino's history. Already with 128 locations in Taiwan and Beijing, he has aggressive plans for further growth. "Most of my career has been in Asia,” says Oelkers, who travels there monthly. “It's second nature for me to be doing business in Taiwan and China. The key is finding the right employees, then training and mentoring them.” Oelkers says he can thank his church and his brother for jump-starting his career. He learned the language and the culture as a two-year missionary in Taiwan for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979. His brother introduced Oelkers to a Domino's executive looking for someone to sell franchises in the Asia-Pacific region. And after backing by venture capitalists, the rest is history. “I have a picture of myself when I was a missionary making a pizza in my small apartment in Taiwan,” he says. “It's weird how things turned out. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time.” Written by David Schwartz, a Phoenix-based freelance writer. |  |
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