NOID VS. NOID

The Noid character, created in the 1980s, is an advertising mascot for Detroit-based Domino’s Pizza chain, with the catchy marketing slogan, “Avoid the Noid”. The evil wizard-like Noid wears a red, skintight, pointed-eared body suit with a black “N” inscribed in a white circle. The Noid is a physical manifestation of all the anxieties (or becoming annoyed – “a noid”) inherent in delivering pizza – in 30 minutes or less. Similar to a gremlin, the Noid tries to foil pizza delivery employees, but pathetically always fails.

The graphic designer who created the Domino’s Noid surely must have had some knowledge of the Lapland noid – the traditional Saami shaman or wizard. The evil pizza wizard and the Lapp shaman share many surprisingly similar characteristics. They are both trickster/wizard characters dressed in red with supernatural powers. The pizza Noid sometimes wears a garish pointed wizard hat. The red ears of the Noid