When it comes to tinkering with the ingredients of success, will Domino’s Pizza be best served taking a marketing communications lesson from New Coke – or some advice from Burger King, the South Florida chain that resurrected its iconic King in a way some viewers found kind of weird?

The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based pizza chain has announced it is changing its recipe. More than simply tweaking its flavor, the company is inviting reviews from food critics, bloggers and others certain to flood the social media ether with comments – tasty and otherwise.

Any public relations and marketing communications expert will tell you, trod lightly when inviting all to comment – especially with social networking sites like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and the like.

Domino’s should know. Eight months ago, a video debuted on YouTube showing Domino’s employees doing unspeakable things with pizza ingredients. Now, Domino’s is inviting food bloggers and others critical of the brand to offer live commentary on the Domino’s website.

Social media commentary can spread uncontrolled. Favorable comments can boost a company’s stock – both financial and in public perception. But a few bad reviews (especially ones written creatively or crafted for YouTube) can create grassroots buzz and cross the webosphere fast and furious.

When you serve a $5.5 billion slice of a $33.5 billion quick-service pizza trade, big slices are at stake indeed.

Our advice: At best, be prepared to forward favorable reviews. At worst, prepare a crisis communications plan (in fact, it should be prepared already – just in case).

From the company’s press release, the new recipe will feature a new garlic seasoned crust, robust sauce and more flavorful shredded cheese, Domino’s new hand-tossed pizza has been reinvented to deliver more taste – and Domino’s is backing it up with a guarantee.

“This is the biggest product introduction we’ve done since…well, pizza,” said Chairman and CEO David A. Brandon. “We are kicking it off with the most aggressive promotion in the history of our company.” The promotion could include an ad in the Super Bowl.

It may be time. A 2009 consumer taste preference survey found Domino’s last — tied with Chuck E. Cheese’s, notes USAToday [ insert link http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-12-16-dominos16_ST_N.htm ]. Papa John’s ranked first in taste.

New Coke tried a wholesale change – and suffered a fan revolt. “Once you’ve built a brand, that’s your brand,” consultant Howard Gordon told USAToday. “To change it means that everything you’ve stood for isn’t right.”

In short: Mess with your brand – especially one with the largest share of an industry – at your own peril…