If you’ve ever had franchise pizza, you know why people sometimes compare it to cardboard. Whether it’s because the ingredients are cheaper or the recipes aren’t as refined as local, “authentic” restaurants, chain pizza gets a bad rap. You’ve likely already seen at least part of the Domino’s campaign responding to the major backlash it has received from customers.

The truth is, it’s hard to sell bad products. Even with brilliant advertising, you won’t get very far. When people actually experience the product, they will likely be disappointed, tell their friends, and never buy it again. In a way, Domino’s was lucky that its customers were venting online, because the brand gained awareness of the problem and was able to gather feedback without having to organize a research initiative. And while negative opinions spread faster than positive ones, especially online, Domino’s put those negative comments to good use, revitalized their product (and thus their brand), and advertised the new and improved pizza via both traditional and social media outlets.

Sales stats show that it’s working. Domino’s increased its sales by 33% in the third quarter. Of course, international expansion has had somthing to do with it, but changing a brand from the inside out is also a strong driver, and something that all brands should consider, particularly if you’re receiving negative feedback online (or anywhere for that matter).

Of course, the internet plays a huge role in both negative and positive perceptions, with a neverending stream of videos, pictures, comments, and blogs. The idea is to make it hard for people to find bad things to say about your product. Damage control can only take you so far. If you strive to make your product the best it can be, and you’ll have more to brag about and less to defend.